Central Asia and the Caucasus outpace the global market in production-scale AI adoption, KPMG study finds

53% of companies in Central Asia and the Caucasus have already deployed AI at production scale and are seeing measurable impact — more than twice the global level of 24%.

99% of respondents in the region see investment in advanced technologies as a key source of competitive advantage over the next three years, compared with 90% globally.

93% of companies in the region expect revenue growth over the next 24 months, above the global level of 89%.

25 June 2026 — KPMG Caucasus and Central Asia has released its latest technology trends report for the region, based on a survey of more than 70 companies in Central Asia and the Caucasus and insights from 2,500 IT executives across 27 countries.

The findings show that companies in Central Asia and the Caucasus are entering a more mature phase of technology development — moving from cautious adoption to active scaling of innovation. The region is also demonstrating a faster transition to production-scale AI deployment than the global market.

Whereas a year ago many companies were taking a wait-and-see approach, waiting for technologies to become more proven, businesses are now moving faster and making more deliberate decisions amid uncertainty. This shift is especially visible in artificial intelligence.

According to the report, 53% of companies in the region have already moved AI solutions into production with measurable impact — more than double the global figure of 24%.

We see that the technology agenda in Central Asia and the Caucasus has entered a phase of managed maturation. The region is increasingly moving away from the logic of waiting until everything becomes clearer and is instead making decisions in an environment where clarity often emerges only after action has been taken. In terms of the share of companies using AI in production, our region is noticeably ahead of the global market. But the next stage is critical: organizations now need to turn individual successes into sustainable capabilities, supported by clear accountability, mature governance mechanisms and stakeholder trust.

Konstantin Aushev

Partner, Head of Technology Practice

KPMG Caucasus and Central Asia

When adopting new technologies, CAC companies tend to rely less on external expertise and external demand; instead, they more often implement pilot projects in a decentralized manner.

Q: “Imagine the emergence of a new breakthrough technology that could improve the company’s performance while threatening the current business model. How would you approach it in terms of the following aspects?” (n = 70 (CAC), 2,500 (Global), 224 (TL), SL = 95%)

Azerbaijan stands out for strong management support for AI and continued appetite for cloud technologies. According to the KPMG study, companies in Azerbaijan report nearly 100% leadership support for the use of AI tools. The country also remains among the regional markets with a strong appetite for cloud/XaaS investment: 80% of companies in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan plan to increase spending in this area. At the same time, only 29% of companies in Azerbaijan say they trust AI-generated recommendations in business decision-making.

The report finds that 99% of respondents in Central Asia and the Caucasus consider investment in advanced technologies to be a key driver of competitive advantage over the next three years, compared with 90% globally.

Businesses in the region also remain highly optimistic about growth:

91% of companies report revenue growth over the past five years.
93% expect revenue growth over the next 24 months.

Against this backdrop, technology is increasingly seen not as a cost optimization tool, but as a growth accelerator.

The region’s rapid pace of digitalization also creates new risks. Around 50% of companies in Central Asia and the Caucasus do not systematically track the value delivered by IT initiatives, while 50% acknowledge that their AI strategy is stalling at the scaling stage.

Another risk factor is the accumulation of technical debt. Companies in the region are actively investing in development and AI initiatives, but allocate significantly less of their IT budgets to maintaining existing systems: approximately 21%, compared with around 34% globally.

KPMG experts note that the current stage is a turning point for the region. It will determine whether today’s technology momentum becomes a long-term competitive advantage — or remains a temporary window of opportunity.

Half of the companies in the CAC do not track the actual effectiveness of IT projects; however, companies in the region are more diligent about security in innovation projects and more often find support from business sponsors.

Q: “How often do the following situations occur in your company?” (n = 70 (CAC), 2,500 (Global), SL = 95%; percentages of respondents who answered “Very often” or “Often” are shown).