In Uzbekistan, 2,141 positions in the executive branch will be cut by November 1, 2025, due to the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies. The corresponding decree was signed by the country’s president, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the document was published in the National Legislation Database.
According to the decree, the largest number of cuts will occur in the State Tax Committee (498 positions), the Ministry of Water Resources (224), the Ministry of Agriculture (200), the Ministry of Justice (197), the Ministry of Ecology (176), and the Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction (163).
In addition, the number of deputy heads in state committees, agencies, and inspectorates will be reduced: in some structures, the number of deputies will decrease from 11 to 7, from 12 to 6, and from 13 to 7, respectively.
The Ministry of Employment and the Federation of Trade Unions have been instructed to assist dismissed employees in finding employment and retraining.
The reform is part of a program to digitally transform public administration. In early 2025, President Mirziyoyev signed a law reforming the civil service system, which provides for the introduction of performance evaluations for civil servants and higher requirements for digital skills.
Earlier, Uzbekistan announced the creation of an Artificial Intelligence Development Alliance, which will coordinate the introduction of AI technologies in various industries and allocate funding for infrastructure development. About $100 million is planned to be allocated for these purposes.
The mass reduction of civil servants reflects the authorities’ policy of optimizing the bureaucratic apparatus and improving management efficiency through digitalization. At the same time, experts note that the success of the reform will depend on the quality of the technologies implemented and the state’s ability to provide social protection and retraining for the workers who are being laid off.
