GSMA M360 Eurasia 2026 Set for Samarkand AI Focus

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The International association GSMA has presented an updated program for the M360 Eurasia 2026 forum, which will be held for the first time in Samarkand on May 20–21, 2026. The event will bring together government officials, technology company executives, and international experts to discuss key directions of digital development across Eurasia.

The forum is being held for the second consecutive year in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Beeline Uzbekistan, and VEON Group, with support from the International Telecommunication Union and the Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications.

The program includes plenary sessions, thematic discussions, and expert panels focused on artificial intelligence development, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, satellite communications, and the implementation of innovative solutions in public administration and business.

Special attention will be given to the development of AI-driven government systems, sovereign digital infrastructure, and the expansion of mobile coverage using satellite technologies. Another key topic will be the protection of digital networks from growing cyber threats.

Confirmed speakers include representatives of global technology companies and industry organizations, such as Google, Huawei, ZTE Corporation, Jazz, Perfectum, and other participants in the region’s digital ecosystem.

The forum will also host the semifinal of the International Telecommunication Union regional hackathon dedicated to “green” and digital innovations for Central Asia. Participants will present technological solutions in renewable energy, smart water resource management, waste reduction, and environmental monitoring. The final stage of the competition will take place in Kyrgyzstan.

GSMA Director of Regulatory Affairs John Giusti said Eurasia is becoming one of the world’s fastest-growing digital hubs, and the M360 Eurasia forum is designed to provide the region with an international platform to promote digital initiatives, attract investment, and strengthen cooperation.

Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan Sherzod Shermatov emphasized that hosting the forum in Samarkand reflects the country’s ambition to strengthen its position as a leading IT hub in Eurasia and accelerate integration into the global digital economy.

Beeline Uzbekistan CEO Evgeny Nastradin said Uzbekistan is emerging as one of the fastest-growing digital markets in the region, while Samarkand—historically a crossroads of ideas and cultures—is now becoming a platform for shaping a new digital agenda for Eurasia.