Astana will host a major global AI hackathon.
On September 23, thousands of developers, students and technology teams will be able to build solutions using OpenAI tools, with the total value of prizes and technology resources reaching $1.1 million, DKNews.kz reports.
Kazakhstan will host HackAlem AI for the first time, with OpenAI serving as the event’s official technology partner. Registration is already open.
$1.1 million in OpenAI resources and cash prizes
One of HackAlem AI’s key features is the scale of technology support available to participants.
Hackathon participants will receive access to up to $1 million worth of OpenAI technology resources to develop and launch their own AI solutions.
Winners will also receive $100,000 in OpenAI API tokens, while the hackathon’s total cash prize pool will amount to $100,000.
The combined value of prizes and technology resources available through HackAlem AI will therefore reach $1.1 million.
For developers in Kazakhstan, this provides direct access to AI tools and API resources that can otherwise represent a significant cost even before a working product reaches the market.
From idea to working AI solution in one day
HackAlem AI will take place offline in Astana on September 23, 2026.
Participants will be expected to move from an initial idea to a functioning AI solution within a limited period of time. Teams will develop technology products designed to address real-world challenges faced by businesses, government institutions and different sectors of the economy.
The most promising projects will have an opportunity to continue development after the hackathon and could potentially move into pilot implementation with partners.
Winners to be honored at AI & Digital Bridge 2026
The winners of HackAlem AI will be awarded on the stage of the international AI & Digital Bridge 2026 technology forum.
That gives participants an opportunity not only to compete for prizes, but also to present their products to technology companies, industry representatives and potential partners.
We previously wrote about why AI & Digital Bridge 2026 matters for business and what has changed in the forum’s program.
Who can participate
HackAlem AI is open to adult developers, students, young professionals and IT enthusiasts.
Applicants must have education or experience in development and technology, or demonstrate their skills through their own projects, prototypes, applications or research.
Students and young professionals may also apply if they are currently studying, or have completed full-time studies within the past 12 months, in fields related to IT, programming, engineering, technology, mathematics or digital product design.
Participants must cover their own travel expenses
Personal attendance in Astana on September 23 is mandatory.
Participants will be responsible for their own travel, accommodation and other expenses during their stay in the capital. This means teams arriving from other regions of Kazakhstan or from abroad will need to plan their trip in advance.
Participants will also receive HackAlem AI branded merchandise and personalized certificates. The event is expected to serve as a networking platform for developers, startup founders, AI enthusiasts and representatives of the technology industry.
“Holding HackAlem AI in Kazakhstan is an important step in the development of the country’s AI ecosystem. We are creating conditions in which developers from Kazakhstan and other countries can gain access to advanced technologies, build solutions and scale them in the global market. Our goal is to make Kazakhstan a point of attraction for talent, technology and AI innovation,” said Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan aims to connect local AI talent with the global market
HackAlem AI is being organized and supported by the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Astana Hub International Innovation Cluster, Silkroad Innovation Hub, AI & Digital Bridge, Blockchain & AI Technology Center and OpenAI.
“For Silkroad Innovation Hub, the technology partnership with OpenAI as part of HackAlem AI is an important step toward expanding access to global AI tools for talent from Kazakhstan and Central Eurasia. We believe a strong ecosystem emerges when developers, startups and technology teams have not only ideas, but also access to advanced tools, expertise and real-world challenges. HackAlem AI creates exactly this environment: participants will be able to work with OpenAI technologies, build practical AI solutions and present corporations with teams and products that could become the foundation for future pilots,” said Asset Abdualiyev, founder and CEO of Silkroad Innovation Hub.
HackAlem AI will take place in Astana on September 23. For participants, the core opportunity is not only to build an AI project in a single day, but also to give the strongest solutions a path toward real-world pilot implementation.
