Samir Mammadov: Azerbaijan preparing to become regional hub for AI, data centers

Azerbaijan is positioning itself as a regional hub for artificial intelligence and data centers.

Report informs that Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Samir Mammadov said this at an event titled "Artificial Intelligence for Cities – Urban Planning and Building Smart, Sustainable Communities," held as part of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.

According to him, estimated demand for electricity in the Caucasus, Central Asia and neighboring markets stands at 850 megawatts, while current supply across the region is only 30 megawatts. This shows that there is a serious gap in the region for infrastructure requiring high energy and computing capacity, such as artificial intelligence and data centers.

Mammadov said Azerbaijan is seeking to establish itself as a regional computing and data center hub amid this growing demand: "The country's more than 2 gigawatts of additional energy capacity, large-scale green energy projects, competitive tariffs and developed digital connectivity create important advantages in this direction."

The deputy minister added that talks are underway on long-term cooperation with leading global technology companies and hyperscale providers to expand computing infrastructure and meet growing demand in the region.

Mammadov also said the National Artificial Intelligence Center and Academy are training qualified personnel in the development and management of AI-based solutions in cooperation with leading international institutions. According to him, the projects also include the creation of a large language model in Azerbaijani for public services.