At the INMERGE Innovation Forum, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy, Mikayıl Cabbarov, outlined the country’s intention to base its digital future on two main pillars: advanced digital infrastructure and rapid development of human capital.
The Minister noted that the new 1.2 PFLOPS supercomputer will form the foundation of Azerbaijan’s innovation ecosystem. This immense computing power will enable the rapid processing of Big Data and the execution of complex analyses. It will open new opportunities in digitalization, automation, and smart manufacturing systems. Importantly, this infrastructure will not only serve government institutions but also be accessible to the private sector, academia, and civil society. By democratizing access to high-performance computing, knowledge sharing will expand, forecasting will improve, and evidence-based decision-making will be strengthened, elevating the country’s global competitiveness to a new level.
Cabbarov emphasized that with the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies, it is no longer sufficient to be just a user; Azerbaijan must contribute to new discoveries and innovations to stay ahead of global trends. Therefore, bridging knowledge and skill gaps is of critical importance.
To achieve this, two main initiatives have been launched:
- National Program with Coursera: Last year, over 10,000 citizens gained access to AI and data science courses. This year, the goal is to teach future skills to tens of thousands more. The Minister highlighted that since April 1 alone, over 35,000 citizens have enrolled in the program, earning more than 63,000 certificates.
- Skills Accelerator Initiative with the World Economic Forum: This program aims to align the education system with the needs of business and global standards. The initiative seeks to turn skill development, workforce preparation, and lifelong learning into tangible opportunities for every Azerbaijani citizen.
Through these programs, Azerbaijan’s workforce will not only be ready for Industry 4.0 but also capable of leading it.
