Bagdat Mussin Explains Why KazLLM is Not a Competitor to ChatGPT

Bagdat Mussin, Chairman of the Board of Kazakhtelecom JSC, shared his perspective on the comparison between the domestic KazLLM project and ChatGPT. According to Mussin, these two projects belong to fundamentally different levels of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, reports Digitalbusiness.kz.

Mussin addressed the public's main concern by clarifying that these systems function at different layers of the technology stack.

 "KazLLM and ChatGPT are not competitors. Many perceive KazLLM as a Kazakh alternative to ChatGPT and ask, 'Will we compete with them?' My answer is no," Mussin stated.

To explain the difference between a Large Language Model (LLM) and ready-to-use services, Mussin provided a metaphor from the energy sector:

• The Fundamental Model (LLM): This is the power plant that generates "intellectual energy."
• Products like ChatGPT: These are household appliances, like a television, kettle, or refrigerator.

"Appliances can be very convenient and functional, but without electricity, they cannot work," he explained. He noted that giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta create infrastructure-level models, while ChatGPT and Copilot are merely services built on top of that base.

According to Bagdat Mussin, the strategic goal of developing KazLLM is not to compete with a specific application but to ensure the nation’s technological sovereignty (AI sovereignty):

• Proprietary Generation: Producing AI power within the country.
• Reduced Dependency: Lowering extreme reliance on external resources.
• Data Control: Ensuring the security of the data processing cycle.
• Scientific Foundation: Developing local specialists and a domestic scientific base.

"One could fully import intellectual energy from abroad; it might seem cheaper and more convenient at first. But from a strategic standpoint, having our own 'generation' within the country is a matter of sovereignty," said the head of Kazakhtelecom.

Mussin emphasized that the President’s focus on the AI sector provides significant support but also places high responsibility on specialists at all levels. In his view, despite temporary criticism, digital products like eGov or Public Service Centers (ЦОН) will continue to simplify people's lives, making it essential to lay a high-quality technological foundation today.