Kai-Fu Lee to Mentor Kazakhstan's AI Talent

Q.AI, Astana Hub, and the Alem.ai Foundation have opened a competition for a closed mentorship program aimed at Kazakhstan's AI talent. Selected participants will be guided by the team of Kai-Fu Lee, a pioneer of Google China and Microsoft Research Asia who now runs his own international AI companies and investment ventures. Winners will receive group mentorship from experts on his 01.AI team, work through their own AI projects, and join dedicated workshops.

For Kazakhstan's AI scene, this is a rare chance at direct access to people who built world-class technology and launched AI ventures across multiple markets. The program isn't about theory: participants work on real products and get feedback from practitioners, which typically shaves years off the path from idea to working solution.

If your team includes people building AI products or rolling out AI agents in internal workflows, check the competition's terms and deadline now. This kind of local AI expertise pays off for everyday business too: role-based agents in 1Cifer already pull data from 1C, CRMs, and bank accounts, taking routine work off directors' and accountants' plates. Even without applying, it's worth tracking the results — graduates and their projects could become a source of ready solutions or candidates for your team.