Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The international conference “KEY TECH: AI in Banking and Fintech,” organized by Khisam Communications, was held in Tashkent, bringing together leading specialists from the banking sector, representatives of fintech companies, and tech startups to discuss key trends in artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on transforming the financial industry.

The event served as a dialogue platform for more than 300 participants from various countries, including executives of IT companies, representatives of commercial banks, international experts, and regulators. The focus was on the practical implementation of AI in banking processes, improving customer service, managing risks, and enhancing security.

AI as a Key Driver of Financial Industry Transformation

Anvarkhoja Kadirov, Director of the Research Institute of Digital Technologies and Artificial Intelligence under the Ministry for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications, emphasized that Uzbekistan aims to become a regional hub for digital solutions. As part of the Uzbekistan–2030 strategy, the goal is to raise AI service exports to US$1.5 billion and create up to 100,000 new jobs in the sector.

Vasiliy Sereda, CEO of Sarkor, highlighted the importance of reliable technological infrastructure—including data centers, cloud clusters, and stable communication channels—for a successful transition to digital intelligence. According to him, synergy between infrastructure and ideas is the most important factor for sustainable digital transformation.

From Traditional Scoring to Behavioral Analytics

A major trend discussed during the panel sessions was the shift from traditional credit scoring methods to digital footprint analysis. Nuriddin Lafizov, head of Alif Uzbekistan, pointed out that parameters such as online shopping behavior and service usage frequency often provide a more accurate picture of a customer’s creditworthiness than formal income statements.

Stanislav Skvirskiy, CEO of Payme, spoke about his company’s use of AI models adapted to the Uzbek language, as well as the deployment of AI agents to automate customer service operations.

Cybersecurity in the Age of AI: Challenges and Solutions

Participants paid special attention to cybersecurity issues. Mikhail Berezin of Group-IB presented alarming statistics: over the past five years, cybercrime in Uzbekistan has increased 68-fold.

AI is increasingly being used not only as a tool for protection but also for launching attacks. Berezin stressed the importance of behavioral biometrics as an effective means of fraud prevention.

Rustam Fayziyev, co-founder of Click, emphasized the need for proactive development in IT security and the importance of boosting the sector’s technological resilience.

HUMO National Payment System: AI for Security

Dinar Samigullin, Deputy Chairman of the Board at HUMO, stated that artificial intelligence is used within the national payment system primarily for real-time transaction analysis, enabling the early detection of anomalies and prevention of fraudulent activities.

Next-Generation Consumer Experience

Anna Matyushenko of Tenge Bank observed that clients are willing to pay more for high-quality digital service. Aleksandr Piletskiy of Yandex Cloud shared his experience using speech technologies tailored to the peculiarities of the Uzbek language in banks and call centers.

A New Era: Predictive Models, Omnichannel Services, and Personalization

The conference concluded with a strategic discussion in which speakers explored the future of the fintech sector. Jahongir Usmonov, CEO of ZOOD Uzbekistan, emphasized: “AI is no longer the future — it is the present. We are living in an era of continuous learning — both for people and for machines.”

The discussion identified three priority areas for future development: hyper-personalization of financial products, predictive security, and the creation of seamless user interfaces.

Digital Ecosystem as a Collective Effort

In his closing remarks, Taufik Khisamov, CEO of Khisam Communications, noted that the conference served as a platform for building connections among all players in the digital transformation process — from government bodies and infrastructure providers to AI solution developers and business representatives.

The international conference “KEY TECH: AI in Banking and Fintech” demonstrated Uzbekistan’s confident progress toward building an innovative and competitive financial sector based on artificial intelligence technologies.