Shavkat Mirziyoyev has tasked the development of proposals for the creation of a cloud data center. This is stated in the roadmap to the presidential decree from December 27.
The document (provided in Uzbek) instructs the development of proposals for establishing a data processing center based on cloud technologies, which will store personal and confidential information, as well as maintain banking secrecy.
Moreover, such a data center must ensure information and cybersecurity. The Cabinet, the Central Bank, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Digital Technologies, and the Cybersecurity Center are required to submit proposals by March 2025.
On December 20 of last year, Oliver Hughes, the head of international operations at TBC Bank, during a conversation with the president, proposed allowing local banks to store users' personal data in the cloud.
“There is the cloud issue — the so-called cloud storage system. Today, the requirements for banks regarding the storage of personal and banking data are quite stringent. We must keep them in our own computing centers, which is quite expensive and not very scalable. It's manageable for now, but as we go further, it will become more difficult. This could, in general, act as a brake on the development of technological companies in the country,” stated Hughes, the head of international operations at TBC Bank.
According to him, TBC is currently discussing this matter with the government, the Central Bank, and other technology companies. Oliver Hughes suggested making amendments to legislation to allow banks to store users' personal and banking data in cloud storage located both in Uzbekistan and abroad.
The top manager emphasized the importance of this proposal not only for the development of the technology industry and the banking sector but also for advancing artificial intelligence, which requires significant computational power that is currently lacking in Uzbekistan. Hughes noted that TBC Uzbekistan is developing chatbots and is already facing difficulties.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev supported this proposal, stating that “the issue has matured,” as AI is “our future,” and called for attention to this topic. The president instructed the Ministry of Economic Development, the Central Bank, and the Ministry of Justice to brainstorm and develop proposals.
“We must make a thoroughly weighed, singularly correct decision. We are talking about the personal data of citizens. This is a very serious issue. Here, we simply cannot afford to make mistakes,” emphasized the head of state.
Earlier, Spot reported that Alif Uzbekistan would receive $3 million from the Islamic Trade Finance Corporation.