Astana plans to develop digital formats for table tennis and traditional games using artificial intelligence (AI). The new solutions will be developed on the AI SPORT digital platform as part of cooperation between the Kazakh National University of Sport (KNUS) and the National Federation of Digital and AI Sports.
A memorandum of understanding was signed at AI & Digital Bridge 2026 by KNUS Rector Tursynzada Kuangalieva and , President of the National Federation of Digital and AI Sports.
One of the key areas of cooperation will be table tennis. Computer vision and artificial intelligence technologies will enable a standard smartphone or tablet camera to recognise players’ movements, record task completion, count specific actions and track performance.
What Is AI SPORT?
AI SPORT is a Kazakhstani digital platform designed to promote mass participation in sports. It is already being actively used by people across Kazakhstan.
Its key feature is the use of artificial intelligence and computer vision. Many sports activities can be completed without fitness trackers, sensors or specialised equipment — all that is needed is a smartphone camera.
AI recognises a person’s movements, analyses exercise performance and automatically counts repetitions. GPS data is used to track running, walking and cycling activities.
On the platform, users can complete sports challenges, take part in competitions, record their results and compare their performance. This format helps engage people in physical activity regardless of their location.
From Table Tennis to Traditional Games
As part of the cooperation, the platform’s capabilities are set to be expanded. Digital training tasks and new competition formats will be developed for table tennis. Training methods and assessment criteria will be designed jointly with sports specialists from KNUS.
Another key area will be the digitalisation of traditional sports and games, including asyq atu (a traditional game involving shooting at sheep knucklebones), langi tebu (a game involving keeping a weighted object in the air using the feet) and traditional archery.
Different solutions are envisaged for each discipline, ranging from digital support for real-life games using traditional equipment to virtual challenges in which participants’ movements are recognised by a smartphone or tablet camera.
In the future, the technologies are also expected to be developed for other sports, including boxing, basketball and tennis.
What Will This Mean for Astana?
The capital could become one of the venues for developing and testing new SportTech solutions. Athletes, students, lecturers and researchers from KNUS will be able to participate in these projects.
The National Federation of Digital and AI Sports is a new sports organisation registered in Kazakhstan in 2026. One of its key areas of activity is the development of digital sports formats and the introduction of artificial intelligence into both grassroots and professional sports.
The cooperation between KNUS and the federation will combine sports expertise and scientific knowledge with modern technologies. The digitalisation of traditional games could also create new opportunities to popularise them among children and young people.