In Tashkent, representatives of the business community and industry experts held a discussion focused on the potential use of artificial intelligence (AI) to eliminate the shortage of qualified personnel and methods for effectively integrating this technology into company operations.
The discussion club, titled 'Can AI help alleviate the labor shortage?', was organized ahead of the third International Financial Innovation Forum FINNEXT Asia 2026. The forum organizers noted that the meeting was dedicated to studying how AI is transforming companies' staffing needs and what steps are necessary for the successful implementation of this technology.
Participants included representatives from organizations such as Deco Systems, Microcreditbank, IT Park Uzbekistan, U-BSS, Uzbekinvest, Hayot Bank, Hamkorbank, EY, as well as leading national media outlets. The event was opened by Evgenia Yakunina, CEO of FINNEXT and chairperson of the forum's organizing committee.
Yakunina highlighted the potential of AI for the banking sector, insurance companies, and fintech businesses, raising the question of whether the technology can compensate for the lack of skilled employees or, conversely, increase the demand for specialists with niche skills.
One of the central topics was the changing labor market. Yulia Yakovleva, Director of the Association of Employers of Uzbekistan and founder of Person Hunter, presented the results of her research on hiring trends. According to Yakovleva's data, the number of vacancies for Business Intelligence (BI) analysts and data analysts in Uzbekistan increased by 102% in 2025. Meanwhile, candidates' salary expectations were 2.1 times higher than employer offers.
The situation in software development differed: the number of vacancies for programmers grew by only 6%, and candidates' salary expectations were lower than company offers. These discrepancies indicate the need to assess employment conditions in the IT sector based on individual specialization, rather than viewing the entire industry as a single entity.
Discussion participants agreed that AI could be part of the solution to the labor shortage problem, but they emphasized that merely implementing the technology would not be enough. To achieve measurable results, companies must ensure data quality, redesign workflows, and organize staff retraining. Consequently, the implementation of AI must be viewed as a comprehensive business transformation, not as an isolated technological project.
Six competencies were also identified as important in an unstable business environment. These include metric and analytics-based management, strategic thinking, and project management using Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall methodologies. The remaining competencies include the willingness to take responsibility and show initiative, the ability to maintain efficiency under uncertainty, and an understanding of sustainable development and eco-efficiency principles. Participants agreed that these skills should be integrated into employee training and professional development programs.
Another presentation focused on preparing data for use in AI applications. Mikhail Shmitov, CEO of Deco Systems, demonstrated the DecoSystems DMP platform, which automates the creation of data warehouses and the development of a semantic layer.
The discussion on these issues will continue at the third International Financial Innovation Forum FINNEXT Asia 2026, scheduled for November 19th in Tashkent. Concluding the meeting, Yakunina noted that Uzbekistan celebrates 35 years of independence this year. She stressed that tens of thousands of companies were created in the first half of the year, which is evidence of entrepreneurial energy. Furthermore, Yakunina stated that digital services, fintech, payment infrastructure, and the new generation of technology companies in Uzbekistan were built thanks to the ideas, hard work, and initiative of the people present at the meeting.