Turkmenistan plans to establish an Artificial Intelligence Competence Center at the state-owned telecommunications company (SEC) “Turkmentelecom”. This was announced by Minister of Communications Hajymyrat Hudaygulyev at the session "Digital Future: Common Development Vectors, Challenges, and Solutions" at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2026).

According to the minister, the center will support national digital priorities, conduct research, and train highly qualified specialists. At the same time, the ministry plans to launch pilot projects with international partners on the application of AI in transport and logistics corridor management, forecasting in the oil and gas sector, and water resource optimization in agriculture.

Hudaygulyev emphasized that the country's international internet bandwidth has increased tenfold over the past three years, laying the foundation for the development of digital services, e-commerce, and cross-border data exchange. He stated that Turkmenistan views artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, and cybersecurity as key drivers of economic growth and is already implementing AI solutions in education, healthcare, agriculture, and transportation.

The minister also announced the implementation of strategic infrastructure projects: the construction of a fiber-optic line from Serhetabad to Herat, connecting to South Asian markets, and the laying of a submarine cable along the Caspian Sea. These projects, he estimated, will create new high-speed digital routes between Europe and Asia and improve the reliability of international communications channels.