AI Agora discussion explores Armenia’s opportunities in artificial intelligence development

The “AI Agora” discussion was held in Yerevan as part of the nationwide AI Days 2026 initiative, bringing together representatives of government institutions, international organizations, the technology sector and others to discuss opportunities for developing artificial intelligence in Armenia, its responsible use, and its impact on the economy, work and society.

The discussions also focused on the effective use of AI infrastructure, training specialists, and citizens’ participation in decision-making on new technologies.

The event, titled “AI for People, Work and Democracy,” is the main event of the nationwide AI Days 2026 initiative, which is being held on November 13-14.

Welcoming the participants, Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, highlighted the significance of AI Days, being held in Armenia for the first time, emphasizing that the initiative has covered the entire country.

“Artificial intelligence is bringing major developments and significant changes to society, affecting how we live and how our future will be shaped. It is important that we use artificial intelligence responsibly, maximizing its benefits and reducing the risks it creates. It is also extremely important that the use of artificial intelligence complies with ethical and responsible standards, so that its benefits are equally accessible to all members of society,” Natsvlishvili said.

She added that UNDP is working with the Government of Armenia, the business sector, civil society and international organizations to promote the widespread, effective and responsible use of artificial intelligence in the country.

Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry and Artificial Intelligence of Armenia Tatev Aslanyan addressed the AI infrastructure established in Armenia and the need to create tangible value for the country through its use.

According to her, the AI factory established in Armenia is an important achievement, but it is necessary to understand how existing infrastructure and the country's competitive advantages can be turned into practical results for the economy and society. The Deputy Minister noted that Armenia currently has the largest number of graphics processing units (GPUs) in the post-Soviet region, which is an important prerequisite for developing its own artificial intelligence systems.

“Having infrastructure is one thing, which I believe is extremely important, but creating value for our country is an entirely different matter. The point is not simply to resell graphics processing units, but to use them right here in our country. This is very important for sovereign artificial intelligence. The first requirement is to have these processors, and the second is to ensure that they serve our country, enabling us to securely store our data here, have our own artificial intelligence models and create new solutions based on them,” Aslanyan emphasized.

The Deputy Minister also highlighted the importance of training relevant specialists, noting that Armenia has strong engineering potential in the region, but these professionals need to specialize and undergo further training, combining their engineering knowledge with AI skills.

Bagrat Yengibaryan, Director of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation, stressed that the development of artificial intelligence is not only a matter of technological potential for Armenia, but also of new opportunities.

According to him, artificial intelligence is transforming the entire world, creating new opportunities for both large and small countries. Armenia also has competitive advantages that it can leverage to develop its economy, science, research and other sectors.

Yengibaryan also spoke about the growth of Armenia's technology sector, noting that while there were around 30 organizations employing 300 specialists in the country in 2000, the figures now stand at approximately 14,000 organizations and 45,000 specialists.

He highlighted the importance of applying artificial intelligence not only in technology companies, but also in research institutions, small and medium-sized businesses, and public administration.

“I think we need to change the formula a little. We are not dealing with potential; we are dealing with opportunity. Artificial intelligence is completely transforming the world and creating enormous opportunities. Armenia has interesting competitive advantages in this regard. It is important to understand how we can use this tool to develop our economy, science, research and technology,” Yengibaryan said.

At the same time, he stressed that having extensive knowledge about artificial intelligence alone is not enough. It is also necessary to learn how to apply new technologies in practice, explore their capabilities and understand how they can be useful in different fields.

Tigran Tshorokhyan, Innovation and SDG Finance Portfolio Leader at UNDP Armenia, noted that artificial intelligence has already become an integral part of people's daily lives, affecting work, communication, health and perceptions of the future.

“Therefore, it is very important for us that citizens and residents of Armenia feel that they are in control of their own destiny and enter this discussion as actors, rather than merely as participants affected by various policies and decisions. We see the way forward in exploring the prospects for AI development in Armenia through a participatory approach, in which every citizen can express their views based on their own experience, knowledge, skills and concerns,” Tshorokhyan emphasized.

He noted that several dozen events were held in different settlements across Armenia on November 13, with more than 150 organizations and schools joining the initiative. These events provided representatives of different communities and social groups with an opportunity to learn about the capabilities of artificial intelligence and discuss its responsible use.

According to Tshorokhyan, such events make it possible to collect citizens’ opinions and proposals, which can subsequently be submitted to relevant government bodies for consideration in the development of strategies and programs.

The AI Days 2026 event was organized by UNDP’s SDG Innovation Center in cooperation with the Ministry of High-Tech Industry and Artificial Intelligence of Armenia.