Shanghai AI firm to build 'digital brains' in Uzbekistan

Shanghai-based AI firm LinkWise has partnered with Uzbekistan's Ministry of Digital Technologies and two Chinese tech companies to build a Modular Intelligent Computing Center (MICC) in Central Asia.

The initiative is a collaboration between LinkWise, the Uzbek government, China Electronic Technology Development Co, and Shanghai Oriental Credits Industrial Development Co.

It is intended to be a deployable and flexible "AI brain," providing crucial processing power to assist Uzbekistan's objectives in digital government, smart cities, and industrial modernization.

Once completed, the center is expected to play an important role in advancing Uzbekistan's digital development and establishing the country as a regional tech leader.

This is not LinkWise's first Belt & Road venture.

Earlier this month, the company signed an agreement to collaborate on AI, blockchain, and energy technology with UAE-backed China Arab Mutually Beneficial Energy Holdings and the Dalian Huanbohai Energy Trading Center.

"We hope to bring China's AI technologies and computing capabilities to Belt and Road countries, and support their digital transformation," said Sun Lihong, LinkWise's assistant president.

The project emphasizes increased cooperation between China and Central Asian countries, not only in trade and investment, but also in new sectors such as artificial intelligence, as part of the broader Belt and Road vision.

This is consistent with Central Asian countries' expectations voiced during the second China-Central Asia Summit, which will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from June 16 to 18.

The leaders of the Central Asian countries said that they value the model of collaboration with China and look forward to deepening overall cooperation as well as expanding trade and investment.

They also underlined their desire to pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and enhance collaboration in industries such as science and technology, infrastructure, new energy, and connectivity.