In 2026, Uzbekistan made one of its most significant moves toward the legal regulation of artificial intelligence. Provisions specifically dedicated to AI were officially introduced into the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Informatization” for the first time, while the Ministry of Digital Technologies approved separate ethical rules governing the development and use of AI-based solutions.
For the market, this became an important signal: the government is beginning to treat artificial intelligence not merely as a technological trend, but as an independent area of regulation capable of affecting the economy, public administration, business operations, and the rights of individuals.
The Government Has Officially Declared Its Course Toward AI
Regulation The adopted amendments should not be viewed merely as technical legislative changes. In reality, they represent the first elements of a national AI regulatory framework. Uzbekistan is gradually joining the global trend in which governments are strengthening oversight and legal regulation of AI technologies due to their rapid development and potential risks.
The European Union has already adopted the AI Act – one of the first comprehensive legal frameworks in this field. The United States is gradually developing its own approaches to AI regulation through governmental initiatives and industry-specific control mechanisms. China is actively implementing systems of state supervision over algorithms and digital platforms, while the UAE and Singapore are focusing on specialized AI strategies and creating favorable regulatory environments for technology companies.
Against this backdrop, Uzbekistan is also beginning to build its own legal infrastructure in the field of artificial intelligence.
What Has Changed in Uzbekistan’s Legislation
The amendments to the Law “On Informatization” introduced several fundamentally new provisions.
In particular:
- the legislation now includes an official definition of artificial intelligence for the first time;
- AI has been designated as one of the priority areas of state policy;
- new requirements for the use of AI in information systems have been introduced;
- the law expressly prohibits the use of AI for the dissemination of unlawful content.
However, the most important innovation is the principle of mandatory human oversight. According to Article 7¹ of the Law “On Informatization,” decisions affecting the rights and interests of individuals cannot be made solely on the basis of AI-generated conclusions. Final decision-making authority must always remain with a human being.
The law also specifically emphasizes that AI technologies must not cause harm to human life, health, freedom, honor, or dignity.
Ethical Rules Issued by the Ministry of Digital Technologies
In addition, the Ministry of Digital Technologies approved separate ethical rules governing the development, implementation, and use of AI-based solutions. Although these rules are largely framework-oriented, they already establish the core principles of future AI regulation in Uzbekistan.
In particular, the document requires compliance with the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the development and use of AI systems, transparency of algorithms, protection of personal data and confidential information, and the prevention of discrimination against users.Special attention is also given to the responsibility of developers and operators of AI systems, as well as to ensuring the informational and technical security of such solutions.
In practice, the government is already attempting to establish a foundational framework for what may be described as “responsible AI.”
Who Will Be Affected by the New Requirements
The new rules potentially affect not only AI developers, but also businesses using AI technologies in their operations. This particularly concerns financial institutions, HR platforms, medical services, online platforms, as well as companies processing personal data or relying on automated decision-making systems. At the same time, responsibility is gradually shifting not only to technology developers, but also to operators implementing AI tools into business processes. This means that companies should already begin assessing how their AI systems function, what types of data they process, the level of transparency of their algorithms, and the potential risks of violating users’ rights.
What Comes Next?
There is a high probability that the current changes represent only the first stage in the formation of a comprehensive AI regulatory framework in Uzbekistan. It is already possible to anticipate the adoption of a separate law on artificial intelligence, stronger regulation of personal data in the AI context, industry-specific requirements for certain sectors, as well as certification and assessment mechanisms for AI systems.
It is also possible that a separate governmental authority or specialized regulator overseeing artificial intelligence will gradually emerge. Given the pace of digitalization in the country and global regulatory trends, the adoption of a comprehensive AI law in Uzbekistan appears to be a realistic scenario within the next few years.