Local AI data center to be built in Azerbaijan

A local data center with artificial intelligence (AI) may be established in Azerbaijan, marking a significant step in the development of the country’s digital infrastructure, according to Alexander Shunin, the head of the Nokia representative office in Azerbaijan and sales director for the Eurasia division. He shared these insights during a panel discussion at the Online Azerbaijan project's reporting event.

According to Report, Shunin explained that as traffic grows, networks need optimization and further development, which is a global trend that will also affect Azerbaijan. "AI is already making a substantial impact on the industry, and operators around the world are creating local data centers at the edge computing level. This process is inevitable in Azerbaijan. Once a local AI-powered data center is established, there will be a need to adapt technologies for the Azerbaijani language," he said.

He also highlighted the important role telecom operators will play in this process.

"We are already seeing neighboring countries, such as Kazakhstan, adapt AI for the Kazakh language. I am confident that similar steps will be taken in Azerbaijan in the near future," Shunin added.

He pointed out that this process should begin within the next couple of years, as AI is advancing rapidly.

"The major world languages, the top 10, are already integrated into various systems. We see how this is developing in neighboring countries, and I am certain that Azerbaijan will face have to deal with this issue as well. Telecom operators should play a key role in this, and we, as Nokia, are providing the necessary infrastructure. While we do not develop training models, our role as an infrastructure vendor is to support the operations of the country’s data centers," he concluded.