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Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Sees Kazakhstan Emerging As A Major AI Hub For Europe

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 23, 2026

Kazakhstan is seeking to establish itself as a major artificial intelligence and computing hub, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang pointing to the country’s energy resources, data centre ambitions and strategic location as potential advantages.

Speaking in Astana during his first visit to the country, Huang said Kazakhstan could become an important centre for AI infrastructure serving Europe and beyond.

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A Strategic Bet On Computing Capacity

“It’s going to be a hub, a computing hub, an AI factory hub for all of Europe,” Huang said during a discussion with Zhaslan Madiyev, Kazakhstan’s deputy prime minister and minister of artificial intelligence and digital development.

Huang also stressed the importance of countries developing domestic computing infrastructure to run AI services in their own languages and cultural contexts. As governments seek greater control over advanced computing capacity, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a digital gateway for Central Asia and neighbouring markets.

Kazakhstan’s Multibillion-Dollar AI Ambitions

The government has made AI a national priority, declaring 2026 the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence.

In June, Kazakhstan announced plans for a $10 billion AI infrastructure investment with US-based AI cloud company Firebird. The project aims to establish a computing cluster powered by 100,000 advanced GPUs, including Nvidia chips. Nvidia has also said it intends to invest in Firebird as the company pursues an approximately 2-gigawatt AI infrastructure expansion across Armenia, Kazakhstan and other markets.

The projects reflect growing demand for high-performance computing, where access to electricity, land and advanced chips is becoming increasingly important for countries seeking to attract technology investment.

Private Investment Adds Momentum

Kazakhstan’s AI ambitions are also attracting private-sector investment. AI video startup Higgsfield, based in San Francisco, employs more than 300 people in the country across engineering and creative roles.

Co-founder Yerzat Dulat, a Kazakhstani AI engineer, said the company’s decision to build a significant presence there was initially considered unconventional.

Higgsfield announced that Nvidia and venture capital firm TCV had invested in an extension of its Series B funding round, although the amount was not disclosed. The startup raised $400 million in Series B funding at a $5.4 billion valuation in August.

Huang praised the company’s founders, saying: “The first thing and the last thing is you invest in people, not companies. And the founders of Higgsfield are visionary in the work that they do.”

Data Center Valley Takes Shape

A central part of Kazakhstan’s infrastructure strategy is Data Center Valley, a planned AI hub in Ekibastuz. The site has 300 megawatts of available power capacity, with plans to expand to 1 gigawatt.

The government is promoting relatively low electricity costs, extensive land availability and investment incentives to attract international developers. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said earlier this month that two supercomputing clusters powered by Nvidia technology had already been launched in the country.

Singapore-based GK Hyperscale has also signed an agreement with the government to develop two hyperscale data centres. The project is expected to involve $1.5 billion in investment and deliver 200 megawatts of combined IT capacity, alongside $1.2 billion in power infrastructure. Construction was expected to begin in early 2026, with the first module scheduled to become operational in 2027.

Central Asia Attracts Broader Corporate Interest

Interest in Kazakhstan extends beyond AI as international companies explore Central Asia for growth opportunities and access to neighbouring markets.

Volkswagen has expanded its regional presence, with its China business and factories leading vehicle exports to Uzbekistan for the first time in late June before the automaker announced its entry into Kazakhstan.

Regional governments are also strengthening cooperation on technology. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has highlighted the potential of an AI innovation centre in Kazakhstan, while an AI event in Astana brought together representatives from member states to discuss national strategies, regulation and collaboration.

For Nvidia, Kazakhstan illustrates how the next phase of AI infrastructure development could extend beyond established technology centres. With energy resources, available land and government support, the country is seeking to attract investment and become part of the infrastructure underpinning the global AI economy.

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Europe’s Deadly Summer Heat Exposed The Cost Of A Warming Continent

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 23, 2026

Europe experienced its deadliest summer for heat-related deaths on record in 2026, with an estimated 24,400 excess deaths linked to extreme temperatures across 30 countries. Researchers estimate that human-induced climate change was responsible for around 32,000 of the deaths attributed to heat in the study’s broader analysis, accounting for 65% of the total.

The findings highlight the growing public-health consequences of global warming, largely driven by fossil fuel use, as extreme heat becomes more frequent and severe.

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A Summer Of Dangerous Heat

Between June and August, heatwaves pushed temperatures in Western Europe to an average of 2.9°C above the 1991–2020 norm, with some days reaching 12°C above average. Nearly a third of estimated heat-related deaths occurred during a particularly intense heatwave between 17 June and 1 July.

“These numbers are a stark reminder that our hotter, more extreme summers are having an increasingly severe impact on public health,” said Dr Clair Barnes, a researcher at Imperial College London and co-author of the study.

The estimated toll exceeded previous peaks of around 29,000 deaths in summer 2022 and 28,000 in 2003 across the region studied.

How Researchers Estimated The Toll

Researchers modelled the relationship between temperature and mortality across 854 urban areas in the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland, covering around 40% of the population in the 30 countries studied.

The analysis incorporated temperature records, age, socioeconomic conditions, environmental factors and access to healthcare. By comparing actual temperatures with those expected without human-induced warming, the team estimated the additional deaths attributable to climate change.

Final official mortality figures for summer 2026 are not yet available in many countries, and heat-related deaths are often underreported because their effects can be difficult to identify directly.

Older People Face The Greatest Risk

People aged 85 and over accounted for roughly half of the estimated deaths. However, the impact extended across age groups, with around 800 excess deaths among adults aged 20–44 and approximately 6,000 among people under 65.

Southern Europe experienced the highest mortality burden, reflecting hotter temperatures and other vulnerabilities, including air pollution, limited green space and unequal access to healthcare and heat-alert systems.

Italy, France And Spain Record Highest Toll

Italy recorded an estimated 13,303 heat-related excess deaths, followed by France with 7,268 and Spain with 6,824. Germany recorded around 6,340, while the UK saw an estimated 4,354 deaths.

In the UK, the heat also placed significant pressure on healthcare services. Andrew Hartle, Professor of Practice of Anaesthesia at Imperial College Healthcare, said demand during the summer resembled that of a severe winter virus season.

Cities Urged To Strengthen Heat Protection

Researchers say cities can reduce the risks through climate shelters, external shading and building retrofits, alongside measures to help residents avoid exposure during the hottest hours. Checking on vulnerable people, staying hydrated and following heat alerts are also important.

The researchers stress that adaptation must go hand in hand with reducing fossil fuel use to limit further warming. The findings underline that extreme heat is already a major public-health threat across Europe, with thousands of lives at risk each summer.