Kazakhstan says it will use AI to prevent bullying in army

Kazakhstan plans to use artificial intelligence to monitor its troops for “non-statutory” behavior in a military modernization push.

The Central Asian nation’s Ministry of Defense said it was working on a unified platform that would leverage its network of surveillance cameras and facial recognition technology to monitor and prevent bullying, hazing, and other violations in its armed forces.

“We have more than 50,000 different types of video cameras in our military units,” Deputy Defense Minister Darkhan Akhmediyev said, according to a report by Vlast, a local news website.

“Unfortunately, they do not have a unified platform, a system that would use artificial intelligence tools to prevent non-statutory relations or some violations,” he said.

This is about to change with a single video analytics system that will pilot later this year and is expected to be fully operational in 2024, according to the report.

"For example, if a person falls, artificial intelligence gives a signal that attention needs to be paid here. And such macro data is sent to the higher level, that is, to the high command or to the national defense control center," Akhmediyev said.

Additionally, the new platform will be used to monitor crowds, analyze personnel’s presence, and keep track of the number of vehicles entering and leaving the facilities.

The move comes as part of Kazakhstan’s efforts to modernize its military forces following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year.

In addition to boosting its defense spending and training, Kazakhstan reviewed its armed forces doctrine last year to reflect “current military security threats.”

In a March meeting with military leadership, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stressed the “need for improvement of the military command system using modern digital approaches.”

The Defense Ministry was ordered to revise its combat training program and work on boosting troops’ professional level to elevate the prestige of military service and motivate young people to join its ranks.