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The pilot project for the digital tenge has been completed. It lasted a month. This pioneering project to digitize the national currency represents a major shift in the landscape for Kazakhstan's financial technologies systems. It is an important milestone. The project's success is a guide for future applications that use digital money.

The pilot program was used as a test field for various applications of the digital currency. Onay cards, originally designed for public transport payments, were used for many purposes. These included providing free meals for children in Almaty as well as for more complex financial transactions. Kazpost played a crucial role in these transactions as an intermediary. Four local banks also produced plastic cards with the global payment giants Visa & Mastercard. The cards allowed customers to purchase online or in person as well as withdraw money from ATMs. This capability extended beyond Kazakhstan's borders, showing the digital currency’s ability to be used in many different contexts.

Another test of the digital tenge is its use for international payments via SWIFT, and the issuance of stablecoins backed by the CBDC on platforms such as Binance and KASE. The digital tenge was also used for further experiments. The pilot also investigated gold tokenization, and smart contracts as a tax collection tool. A move-to earn application was also tested. Digital tenge is a flexible currency with many applications. It has the potential to revolutionize Kazakhstan’s financial system.

The National Bank of Kazakhstan (NPCK), along with the National Payment Corporation of Kazakhstan, have set lofty goals for 2024. Their efforts to promote financial integration will focus on the expansion of the network, the improvement and decentralization of finance apps, as well as the facilitation of off-line transactions. This is especially true in areas with limited internet access. Participation in international payment systems and initiatives will also be a priority. In addition, in order to meet their legislative and regulatory goals, they'll also emphasize improving the speed of processing the digital tenge as well as its safety. These improvements are expected to facilitate the further integration of digital tenge in global financial systems as well as its enhancement.

Binur Zhalenov confirmed, amidst these technological advancements, that the digital tenge would not be used to monitor users, thereby addressing any privacy concerns. This statement shows that Kazakhstan is committed to maintaining the safety and confidence of its users.

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Microsoft Corporation has announced a groundbreaking alliance with the American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations. This partnership will investigate and influence the integration of artificial intelligence in the workplace. This will ensure AI meets the needs of workers, and have an impact on public policies.

This groundbreaking collaboration between an industry giant and a major union aims to start a conversation about artificial intelligent. The emphasis is on predicting worker requirements and incorporating their viewpoints into the process of creating and implementing artificial-intelligence technology. This partnership has three main goals: to share the latest advances in artificial intelligence with workers and labor leaders, to integrate worker experience in the development of AI and to influence public policy to promote the technological abilities of frontline workers.

This alliance is expanding on Microsoft's previous agreements that include a framework of neutrality for worker organization by AFL-CIO affiliated unions. In the context of the agreement's particular feature, it is stressed that a shared commitment to respecting the rights of employees to organize or to join unions as well as to developing constructive interactions between management & labor. This measure is intended to ensure that technological breakthroughs, such as artificial intelligent, do not undermine the rights of employees but instead benefit them at a time of rapid technological change.

Microsoft will train employees and students on artificial intelligence in accordance with the terms of this agreement. Microsoft's AI experts will guide sessions that begin in winter 2024. These seminars will provide insights into artificial intelligence's workings, its future trajectory and the challenges it presents. Microsoft will also make it easier for employees and labor leaders who want to have a direct influence on the development of artificial-intelligence technologies to do so. The project will start with labor summits that will create an environment where worker-centered technologies are co-designed, and such technology will be developed.

Collaboration is a key component in developing policies and skills. Microsoft and the American Federation of Labor and Industry will collaborate to influence legislation related to artificial intelligence (AI), workforce issues, and other relevant topics. They will work together to advocate for policies which provide workers with information and skills necessary to succeed in a world powered by AI. We are promoting more funding for career and technical training, as well supporting the expansion of apprenticeship programs.

The cooperation between Microsoft, the American Federation of Labor-CIO and other companies in the age of artificial intelligent is more than a corporate-social commitment. It is a blueprint for how labor and technology can work together. The partnership acknowledges that artificial intelligence has the potential to enhance occupations, while acknowledging workers' fears about being replaced by AI. The partnership ensures that workers' opinions and needs will be given the highest priority in the transition towards a future aided by artificial intelligence.

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