Official: Iran to complete AI belt in West Asia in 2.5 years

Mojtaba Alizadeh, Assistant to the Iranian Vice President for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy, revealed the government’s 2.5-year roadmap to establish a robust artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in Iran, as part of the country’s strategy to create a West Asia AI belt.

Alizadeh elaborated on the comprehensive AI architecture document, emphasizing its role in defining AI structures, task allocation, and inter-sectoral collaboration.

He said the first phase of the AI processing farm will be operational by May 2025, with multiple farms across the country connected via clusters to boost computational capabilities.

Highlighting the importance of AI in governance, Alizadeh noted that the initiative includes developing smart systems to assist the president and government officials, enabling more informed decision-making and minimizing common errors in policy and legislation. This system integrates predictive modeling using economic, social, and political data to forecast outcomes of decisions.

For the private sector, Alizadeh announced plans to transition businesses from reliance on foreign AI services to utilizing domestic AI infrastructure. By May 2024, foundational AI initiatives will be completed, followed by supplementary measures to strengthen the ecosystem.

The AI project also aims to establish Iran as a critical hub in the North-South and South-North AI corridor within Asia, ensuring regional leadership in the technology, said the official.