Industrial AI is reaching Kazakhstan's factories and mines, but many projects remain experimental
A 2025–26 government roadmap covers 41 projects at 11 major enterprises. ERG's autonomous haul trucks have already moved more than two million tonnes of rock.
Artificial intelligence is monitoring haul trucks, production lines and workplace safety at Kazakhstan's industrial sites. But, as the Times of Central Asia reports, most projects remain stuck at the pilot stage as companies struggle to scale them up.
Government support
The government's 2025–26 roadmap covers 41 projects at 11 major industrial enterprises, including the country's largest steelworks Qarmet, copper producers Kazakhmys and KAZ Minerals, gold producer Solidcore Eurasia, and the mining-and-metals group Eurasian Resources Group (ERG).
Driverless trucks and AI safety
ERG's autonomous haul trucks at its Vostochny open-pit coal mine have already moved more than two million tonnes of rock, completing 17,000 unmanned trips and covering 68,000 kilometres. At the Bakyrchik mine in the Abai region, an automated health-monitoring system uses AI to assess each worker's physical condition before every shift and automatically bars them from hazardous tasks if it detects high blood pressure, fatigue or signs of alcohol.
Tracking thousands of parameters
ERG has also introduced an AI-driven Manufacturing Execution System called MES Alina, which monitors more than 7,000 live parameters and uses generative AI to produce performance reports and maintenance forecasts.
