Tajikistan launches “Project Soro”

Dushanbe, October 25, 2025. The Artificial Intelligence Council of Tajikistan under the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies, UNICEF, and zypl.ai have signed a Letter of Intent to launch “Project Soro” — Artificial Intelligence for Inclusive Education in Tajikistan.

The project marks the first large-scale initiative in the region to systematically integrate AI into a national education system, aiming to make digital learning accessible to every student and to help young people gain the skills of the future.

“Project Soro” is being implemented under the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS-2040), which seeks to build a knowledge-based economy and achieve up to 5% of national GDP through AI by 2040. Under the leadership of the AI Council, key elements of the national ecosystem have already been established, including the AI Academy (which has trained over 700 specialists) and SoroLLM — the first large-scale language model designed for the Tajik language, reflecting its cultural and dialectal diversity.

SoroLLM is trained on both real and synthetic data, enabling it to accurately understand context and adapt to diverse domains. Within the project, it powers personalized learning, supports teachers, and strengthens digital and algorithmic literacy. At the same time, it provides the foundation for AI solutions in Tajik across government, public, and commercial systems.

The model is being integrated into the maktabmobile.tj and eDonish platforms to enable personalized learning in Tajik, assist educators, and ensure a safe and inclusive digital learning environment.

The AI Council coordinates the project and develops standards; UNICEF Tajikistan ensures ethical compliance and child rights protection; and zypl.ai leads the adaptation, training, and deployment of SoroLLM.

The AI Council coordinates the project and develops standards; UNICEF Tajikistan ensures ethical compliance and child rights protection; and zypl.ai leads the adaptation, training, and deployment of SoroLLM.

“The challenge facing us all today is to ensure that we design educational tools that maximise the positive benefits of big data and artificial intelligence, while preserving privacy, providing protections from harm, and empowering children to exercise their rights. In partnership with the AI Council of Tajikistan and zypl.ai, UNICEF will actively work to support the implementation of Artificial Intelligence as a learning tool into the education system of the Republic of Tajikistan,” — Arthur van Diesen, UNICEF Representative in Tajikistan.

By 2027, the subject “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” will become mandatory in all schools nationwide. The project will reach 4,000 schools and 2 million students, train up to 2,000 AI specialists, and generate around $150 million in economic impact over five years — strengthening Tajikistan’s leadership in responsible AI in Central Asia.

The initiative is also part of “Area AI” — a planned AI technopark that will unite education, research, and innovation, creating new pathways for youth employment and entrepreneurship.

The official launch of “Project Soro” is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025, with implementation continuing through 2028, supported by international organizations, donors, and the private sector. “Project Soro” demonstrates how artificial intelligence can expand opportunities for every child.