On February 27, 2026, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree approving the “Action Plan for Accelerating Digital Development in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2026–2028.” This is a binding government decree, not a strategy document.
Key provisions relevant to AI literacy and governance:
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Senior AI accountability at deputy-minister level: Each state authority will appoint, at the level of deputy head, a senior official directly responsible for digitalization, innovation, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. This institutionalizes AI governance accountability across all government bodies.
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AI integration into public services: The plan mandates expanding AI-based solutions in public administration and expanding virtual assistant services for citizens.
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Regulatory sandbox for AI: A legal framework will be developed to enable nationwide implementation of AI solutions that have been successfully tested in the “Regulatory Sandbox,” creating a path toward enforceable AI regulation.
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National AI Center operational: The National Artificial Intelligence Center and the AI Academy have begun operating. The AI Academy is planned to train 500 AI engineers and build an AI community of 3,000 persons in 2026–2027, in cooperation with at least 2 prestigious foreign universities.
The action plan strengthens Azerbaijan’s governance posture from advisory to a more structured implementation footing, though still without an independent AI enforcement authority.