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The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Kazakhstan is preparing to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the allocation of Targeted Social Assistance (TSA).
TSA is a cash benefit for low-income citizens whose earnings fall below 35% of the national average. The assistance can be permanent for individuals with disabilities or conditional for able-bodied citizens who are temporarily unemployed but enrolled in retraining programs. The amount is determined as the difference between a family’s per capita income and the regional poverty line.
The ministry now plans to automate the eligibility assessment process using AI technologies.
“Today, we are training an AI model using the Random Forest Classifier, one of the most effective machine learning algorithms. It allows for more accurate and consistent results by analyzing multiple factors,” said Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection Olzhas Anafin. “The model has undergone comprehensive validation and demonstrated over 90% accuracy, confirming its readiness for implementation.”
The system will soon launch in pilot mode to handle new TSA applications. During the initial phase, AI-generated decisions will serve as recommendations for local executive bodies, with the possibility of becoming an official eligibility criterion in the future. In the second stage, the ministry plans to enhance the model’s capabilities by applying computer vision technologies to analyze visual data, including photographs and videos submitted with applications.
According to ministry experts, this approach will enhance the objectivity of assessments regarding applicants’ living conditions and overall well-being. The resulting data will be used to further train the model. In the project’s third phase, the AI will assist in developing personalized support plans to help families move out of vulnerable circumstances.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has previously criticized the country’s social policy, stating that for over 15 years, the government “encouraged social dependency and social fraud” instead of pursuing rational reforms.
As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the Ministry of Labor has also drafted legislation aimed at eliminating the widespread use of “gray” salaries, undeclared wages. Approximately 30% of Kazakhstan’s working population is estimated to fall outside the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund (UAPF) due to this practice.
Dmitry Pokidaev