Azerbaijan is positioning itself as a regional hub for artificial intelligence and data centers. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Digital Development and Transport Samir Mammadov at an event held within the framework of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
According to him, the approximate demand for electricity in the Caucasus, Central Asia and neighboring markets is 850 megawatts, while the current supply in the region is only 30 megawatts. This indicates a serious gap in the region for high-energy infrastructure such as AI and data centers.
Mammadov noted that Azerbaijan is trying to form itself as a regional computing and data center hub against the backdrop of this growing demand. The country's additional energy capacity of over 2 gigawatts, large-scale green energy projects, competitive tariffs and developed digital connectivity create significant advantages.
The deputy minister added that negotiations are underway with leading global technology companies and hyperscale providers for long-term cooperation to expand computing infrastructure and meet the growing demand in the region.
The National Center and Academy for Artificial Intelligence, in cooperation with leading international organizations, trains qualified personnel in the development and management of AI-based solutions. Among the projects is the creation of a large language model in Azerbaijani for government services.
