President Mirziyoyev instructs to develop proposals for the creation of a cloud data center

The data center must ensure robust information security and cybersecurity measures. The government, the Central Bank, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Digital Technologies, and the Cybersecurity Center are required to submit their proposals by March 2025.

On December 20 of the previous year, during a meeting with the president, Oliver Hughes, the Head of International Operations at TBC Bank, proposed allowing local banks to store personal data of users in the cloud.

“There is the issue of the cloud — so-called cloud storage. Currently, banks face strict regulations when it comes to storing personal and banking data. We are required to keep it in our own data centers, which is costly and not easily scalable. It works for now, but as time goes on, it will become increasingly challenging. This could potentially hinder the development of tech companies in the country,” Hughes stated.

He added that TBC Bank is in ongoing discussions with the government, the Central Bank, and other tech companies on the matter. Hughes proposed legislative changes to allow banks to store personal and banking data in cloud storage located both within Uzbekistan and abroad.

He stressed the importance of this proposal for the development not only of the technology and banking sectors but also for artificial intelligence (AI), which requires significant computational power currently unavailable in Uzbekistan. Hughes noted that TBC Uzbekistan is developing chatbots but is already encountering difficulties.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed support for this proposal, acknowledging that "the issue is timely," as AI is "our future," and emphasized the need to focus on it. The president instructed the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Central Bank, and the Ministry of Justice to engage in brainstorming and develop comprehensive proposals.

“We must make a thoroughly balanced and correct decision. This concerns the personal data of citizens, which is a very serious issue. We cannot afford to make mistakes here,” the president underscored.