What is AI regulation in Uzbekistan?
AI regulation: countries and regions
Uzbekistan's AI regulation is currently based on a national strategy and updates to existing laws, not a separate AI law. A Presidential strategy (Oct 2024) sets long-term goals and requires building legal foundations and computing capacity. In January 2026 Uzbekistan amended its Informatization law to define AI, require human oversight for decisions affecting rights, and penalise illegal AI-driven use of personal data. Ethical standards and data-protection rules also apply.
Reviewed by Jackie, Head of Learning & Development, Levellers · Last reviewed 8 June 2026
What this means
Uzbekistan treats AI as part of its digital transformation. In 2024 the government approved a national AI strategy setting targets (for example, growing AI-related services to $1.5 billion by 2030) and calling for clear rules and standards. Rather than a standalone AI statute, the country amends existing law: in January 2026 it updated its Informatization law to define "artificial intelligence" and lay out how it can be used.
In practice this means Uzbekistan builds on its digital and privacy laws. The 2026 amendments forbid making important decisions (like legal judgments or major administrative acts) based only on AI outputs - a human must be involved. They also create penalties (fines and asset seizure) for unlawfully processing personal data using AI. A parallel effort is drafting ethical guidelines for AI to ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability in new technology. In short, Uzbekistan governs AI by strategy and general laws on data and informatization, with a focus on safe, responsible use rather than imposing an AI ban.
Why it matters
Businesses and organisations in Uzbekistan need to know these rules to use AI legally and responsibly. Compliance is essential when deploying AI tools that use personal data or make significant decisions. For example, banks and schools using AI-based decision systems must ensure a human reviews outcomes, or they could face fines. Clear AI governance helps protect citizens' rights and builds trust in new services. Companies and officials must stay informed so they don't accidentally break the new rules or miss opportunities to comply and innovate safely.
How it works
National AI Strategy
Uzbekistan's government approved a strategy in October 2024 to guide AI development through 2030. This strategy sets numeric targets (like generating $1.5 billion in AI-based products and joining the top 50 in an AI-readiness index) and identifies priority projects. It calls for building up data infrastructure and computing capacity (through a national "Big Data" database and supercomputers) and for training specialists. The strategy explicitly tasks agencies with "establish[ing] a regulatory and legal framework" for AI. It also lists priority sectors (banking, healthcare, agriculture, etc.) where AI should be used, in line with broader economic goals.
AI Law Amendments
Instead of a new AI Act, Uzbekistan amended existing laws in January 2026 to cover AI use. A key change was adding a legal definition of artificial intelligence in the Law on Informatization: AI is described as technology that imitates human cognitive functions (like learning and decision-making) to solve tasks comparably to human intellect. The same amendments add an Article (71) saying that information systems created using AI "must not harm" human rights, and that "legally significant decisions affecting rights and freedoms" cannot be based solely on AI outputs. In effect this legal rule requires human oversight for important AI-driven decisions.
Those amendments also insert new duties into the informatization law: for example, creating conditions for AI development, attracting investment, and building government data-processing infrastructure. They clarify that the Ministry of Digital Technologies has responsibility for AI development and standards. The Law on Administrative Offenses was also updated: it now fines (50-100 base units) anyone who illegally processes personal data with AI or publishes it without consent. Thus, misusing AI to violate privacy now carries penalties.
Ethical Guidelines and Standards
Uzbekistan is preparing formal ethics rules for AI in addition to these laws. A draft document (to be issued by presidential decree) titled "Rules and Principles of Ethics in AI" is under development. It would apply to all developers, implementers and users of AI systems in Uzbekistan. Key principles include legality, human-centred protection (individuals and society), transparency, continuous human oversight, proportionality, accountability, fairness and non-discrimination, and respect for privacy and security. Under this framework, AI systems must be designed with clear algorithms and privacy safeguards; developers must assess and mitigate biases; and any harm to people, rights or the environment triggers legal liability. The Ministry of Digital Technologies will lead on enforcing these ethical standards and improving public digital literacy to meet them.
Data Protection and Privacy
Uzbekistan's general data protection law (2019) remains a foundation for AI use. It requires consent or legal basis for any personal data processing. The new AI provisions build on this by specifically punishing "illegal processing of personal data using AI". In practice, this means organizations must follow the Personal Data Law (obtain consents, secure data, etc.) when using AI analytics or automated systems. The added AI rules ensure that using AI is not an escape from privacy obligations - in fact, they introduce extra penalties if AI is used to misuse data. So companies working with personal data in AI applications must comply with both the privacy law and the new AI-related data rules.
Institutions and Implementation
The Ministry of Digital Technologies (MDT) is the primary regulator for AI. It has been tasked with coordinating AI projects, developing standards, and overseeing implementation. A new state body called the "Center for the Development of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy" is being created under MDT to provide expert evaluation of AI systems and projects. At a higher level, the Prime Minister's Cabinet Commission on "Digital Uzbekistan-2030" oversees the AI strategy's execution. This commission sets priorities, allocates budget (including a dedicated $50 million loan for AI from 2025), and reviews progress. Other ministries and agencies are required to give data access to the Center and adjust their rules to be consistent with the AI law. In practice, these institutions work together to apply the strategy across sectors and ensure AI initiatives follow the legal and ethical framework.
International Alignment
Uzbekistan is aligning its AI policy with international ethics standards. In 2025 UNESCO began a countrywide "readiness assessment" in Uzbekistan to connect the national AI strategy to the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. The Ministry of Digital Technologies and various stakeholders joined UNESCO workshops in Tashkent to develop recommendations and a roadmap for responsible AI. Uzbekistan's strategy text also cites international cooperation and standards in AI development. These steps indicate that, beyond domestic law, Uzbekistan is incorporating global AI ethics principles (e.g. transparency, fairness, human rights focus) into its approach. Integrating UNESCO's guidelines helps ensure Uzbekistan's AI governance meets emerging global expectations.
Examples
- **Bank loan decisions:** A government-owned bank uses an AI model to assess loan applicants (a priority sector under the AI strategy). Under Uzbek rules, the bank must have a human officer review any negative decisions, because "legally significant decisions affecting rights" cannot rely only on AI. The bank also needs to secure customer data and obtain consent before feeding it into the AI system (per the Personal Data Law and AI law penalties). This ensures compliance with both data protection and AI oversight requirements.
- **Medical diagnosis assistance:** A hospital deploys an AI imaging tool to help diagnose patients (supported by the healthcare objectives in the strategy). Physicians must interpret the AI output rather than blindly trusting it, again following the human-oversight rule. The hospital must also ensure the AI model does not discriminate (fairness is mandated by the ethics rules). Any patient information used by the AI is treated as personal data, so the hospital must comply with Uzbekistan's data privacy law and the new AI-related data rules, or else face fines.
- **Agricultural monitoring:** An agro-tech startup uses drones and AI to predict crop yields (aligned with the strategy's agriculture goals). The company must embed the ethical guidelines: algorithms should be transparent and should not violate privacy or environmental safeguards (as required by the upcoming ethics principles). If it collects farmers' personal information, it must do so legally. The Ministry of Digital Technologies would expect the company's product to be reviewed by the AI Center for compliance before wide deployment, showing how the legal and ethics framework applies even in farming technology.
Common misunderstandings
- **"Uzbekistan has no AI rules at all."** Not true. While Uzbekistan has not created a stand-alone AI law, it has an official strategy and specific legal provisions for AI. In 2026 it updated the Informatization law to cover AI use and personal data (see above). Thus, some AI activities are already regulated.
- **"AI can make any decision by itself."** No - the law explicitly requires human oversight for decisions that affect people's rights. Automated tools can assist, but a human must approve outcomes in critical cases (like legal judgments or permits).
- **"There's no penalty for AI misuse."** Actually, Uzbekistan set penalties for illegal AI-driven data use. Fines of 50-100 base units (tens of millions of sums) can be imposed for unlawful processing of personal data with AI. So misuse of AI that violates privacy or other protected interests is punishable.
- **"Data protection law has nothing to do with AI."** In Uzbekistan they are related. The existing Personal Data Law (2019) governs all personal data, and the AI amendments build on it. The new rules specifically criminalize AI-based data misuse, meaning AI developers must respect the same data protections as any other technology.
- **"Uzbekistan ignores international AI norms."** On the contrary, Uzbekistan is actively engaging with global AI ethics. It is aligning its strategy with UNESCO's AI ethics recommendation through a national assessment, and its draft ethics rules echo international principles like fairness, transparency, accountability and human rights.
Risks and boundaries
Current Uzbek AI rules are just a starting point. They don't establish a full risk-tiered system like some other jurisdictions; instead, they set general standards. This means high-risk applications (e.g. biometric identification) aren't separately regulated yet. The law focuses on data misuse and decision-making safeguards but does not cover every AI issue (such as model validation, liability for all harm, or intellectual property) beyond these scopes. Enforcement is also new - penalties are defined mainly for privacy violations . In practice, some details remain uncertain: for example, how authorities will audit AI systems or enforce transparency. These gaps mean organizations should be cautious: following best practices now (human-in-loop, bias testing, full documentation) and monitoring future rules is wise. Uzbekistan's legal framework may expand or clarify soon, but until then AI developers must adhere to the broad principles in the law and watch for upcoming guidelines.
The regulations apply within Uzbekistan's jurisdiction (there are no published extraterritorial clauses), so foreign companies operating there must comply with Uzbek law for activities in the country. The AI law does not ban AI technology itself - it only imposes conditions on how AI can be used (especially with personal data or rights-impacted decisions). In summary, Uzbekistan is building AI regulation incrementally: know that current limits are mainly about human oversight and data protection, not a comprehensive AI regime, and stay alert for future changes.
What to do next
Leaders in business and government should start by reviewing the new rules now in force. Update policies and development processes to ensure AI systems have human review where required. Audit AI projects for data compliance - obtain clear consent if personal data is involved and protect it per the Personal Data Law and the AI amendments. Monitor the new ethics guidelines as they emerge: train teams on transparency, bias mitigation and accountability practices since these principles will soon be mandatory.
Organizations should also engage with the strategy's implementation. For example, consider collaborating with the new AI Center or joining pilot projects identified by the government. Invest in AI training and literacy to meet the strategy's human-capacity goals. Finally, keep an eye on international developments: Uzbekistan is adopting UNESCO's ethical framework, so aligning with those global standards will ease compliance. Being proactive now will smooth the transition as Uzbekistan's AI governance matures.
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FAQs
Does Uzbekistan have a specific AI law?
Uzbekistan has not enacted a stand-alone AI Act yet. Instead, it regulates AI through its national digital strategy and by amending existing laws. In January 2026 it updated its Informatization law with provisions on AI (defining it and setting rules) and added AI-related penalties in the administrative code. So AI use is covered by these changes rather than a separate new law.
Can AI systems make fully autonomous decisions about people's rights?
No, Uzbek law forbids relying solely on AI for decisions that affect individual rights. The amendments explicitly state that any legally important decision involving a person's rights or freedoms must involve human intervention. In practice, AI can provide recommendations, but a qualified human must review and approve the outcome in those cases.
What happens if someone uses AI to misuse personal data?
There are clear penalties. The new regulations impose fines (50-100 base units) on anyone who illegally processes or disseminates personal data using AI. Depending on the case, assets or equipment used in the violation can also be seized. This makes it risky to use AI for data mining or profiling without consent and proper safeguards.
Who is responsible for AI regulation in Uzbekistan?
The Ministry of Digital Technologies is the lead agency on AI policy and standards. It will work with other ministries through the national Digital Uzbekistan commission to implement the strategy. Uzbekistan is also setting up a specialized AI center under this ministry to review projects. Other state bodies must support by providing data access and aligning their regulations with the new AI law.
Does Uzbekistan follow global AI ethics guidelines?
Yes. Uzbekistan is aligning its policies with UNESCO's AI ethics framework. In 2025 it held a UNESCO-supported assessment to integrate the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI into its national strategy. Planned rules emphasize transparency, fairness, human rights, and accountability, reflecting international standards.
What about data privacy when using AI?
Uzbekistan's existing Personal Data Law (2019) applies to any AI that handles personal information. In addition, the 2026 amendments specifically target AI-driven data use: any unauthorised AI processing of personal data is now an offence. In short, AI projects must obtain data consent and protect personal data just like any other information system. There are no special data rules for AI beyond these: organizations follow the usual privacy law plus the new AI provisions.
Are sector-specific AI rules expected?
Currently there are no separate AI laws per sector (like finance or healthcare). The government's strategy does highlight priority areas (banking, customs, health, agriculture, energy) for AI applications, but regulation of those sectors remains general. Organizations in those fields must meet the same AI conditions (human oversight, ethics, data protection) as elsewhere. Future laws might arise, but for now Uzbekistan uses a horizontal approach under its general informatization and privacy laws.
When will these AI rules come into effect?
The Informatization law amendments took effect upon official publication in 2026 (January 21, 2026). The ethical guidelines and the AI strategy's action plans are being rolled out over 2024-2026. So all stakeholders should treat the new requirements as already applicable and prepare for ongoing updates as Uzbekistan's AI governance develops.