Aze,US
Digitalization, artificial intelligence, and data infrastructure are becoming central pillars of Azerbaijan’s long-term development strategy, President Ilham Aliyev said during a government meeting dedicated to the country’s new unified digital architecture.
The discussion signaled a shift from isolated technology initiatives toward a systemic economic transition in which energy capacity, data infrastructure, and connectivity are integrated into a single development model.
Energy, geography, and capital as structural advantages
Aliyev noted that more than $350 billion has been invested in Azerbaijan’s economy over the past two decades, while national power generation capacity has nearly doubled to around 10 gigawatts.
At least 2 gigawatts of unused capacity could support the construction of data centers and the expansion of AI-driven industries.
The strategy effectively seeks to convert Azerbaijan’s traditional strengths—oil, gas, and transport corridors-into digital infrastructure, including fiber-optic routes linking Asia and Europe.
Digital policy as geopolitics
Baku is already in talks with leading global technology firms and major investment funds.
Strategic partnership frameworks with the United States, several European Union members, and China position Azerbaijan in a rare diplomatic configuration—simultaneously connected to multiple global power centers.
This elevates digital transformation from a domestic reform agenda to a component of foreign policy and geo-economic competition.
A state moving toward integrated digital governance
Key priorities outlined at the meeting include:
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consolidating public services through the mygov platform
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expanding the use of artificial intelligence across government agencies
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strengthening cybersecurity following recent cyberattacks
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scaling education and workforce training in digital fields
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enabling startup financing and private-sector innovation
Officials emphasized that digitalization must extend beyond the public sector to reshape the broader economy.
Competing for a place in the AI economy
Digital Development Minister Rashad Nabiyev said artificial intelligence could generate up to $16 trillion in global economic value by 2030.
Azerbaijan aims to increase its IT service exports from roughly $100 million today to multi-billion-dollar levels over time.
The broader objective is a structural transition-from resource-driven growth toward a data- and technology-based value model.
A strategic window
The meeting underscored that Azerbaijan now views digital transformation not as administrative modernization but as a core economic pivot.
Energy resources are being positioned to power data infrastructure, connectivity is expanding across Eurasia, and the state is attempting to accelerate the transition while geopolitical and technological windows remain open.