Why AI development in Kazakhstan needs to start with education

Developing countries have a unique opportunity to break away from the traditional path of AI adoption, says Joleen Liang, Co-founder of Squirrel AI Learning.

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, October 27, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In the final installment of our series of interviews with women leaders in AI, Joleen Liang, co-founder of Squirrel Ai Learning, answers questions. She specializes in adaptive, personalized learning algorithms.

A Forbes China member of the "Influential Businesswomen of China" list, Joleen is the co-founder of Squirrel Ai Learning (the other three founders are Derek Haoyang Li, Jason Zhou, and David Fan). Founded in 2014 in Shanghai, Squirrel Ai Learning has grown into a global leader in adaptive education in the past 10 years. The project's core idea is to replace rote memorization with an approach that takes into account the individual needs of each student.

Today, Squirrel Ai's network comprises approximately 3,000 learning centers across China, serving over 24 million students.

"My path to founding and leading Squirrel Ai Learning was closely aligned with my personal mission to combat educational inequality and make personalized, high-quality learning accessible to every child, regardless of background," shared Joleen Liang. "I've always believed that technology, especially AI, has the potential to disrupt traditional education models and bridge the gaps often left by standardized systems."

With her background in technology and education, Liang saw the potential of AI in education before others.

"When Squirrel Ai was founded, China was facing serious challenges—overly standardized education and vast disparities in educational resources between urban and rural areas. As a mother of two, I saw firsthand how traditional education often fails to meet the learning pace and needs of each child," notes Joleen. "We believed AI could be the key to changing this situation."

The company's founders brought together leading scientists from the first adaptive learning unicorns in the US to jointly develop the AI. "This ensured that our platform would be built on the best scientific foundations for adaptive learning," Liang explains.

It's no surprise that when asked about the application of AI in developing countries like Kazakhstan, Joleen first mentioned education.

"Developing countries have a unique opportunity to break away from traditional development paths by adopting AI-based strategies early on," Liang noted, and, like her colleagues, identified "three key approaches that can make a real difference." "First, start with AI in education," she said.

The integration of AI-powered adaptive learning systems into the K-12 education system is one of the most effective ways to build basic AI readiness, according to Joleen Liang.

“These tools not only personalize the learning experience for each student, but also help teachers shift their role from content delivery to social-emotional learning facilitators, mentors, and data analysts who use AI to more effectively develop students.”

The second aspect that the company director mentioned is public-private partnership.

"Governments in developing countries should actively collaborate with research institutes and leading AI education companies," Liang believes. "Such partnerships can provide rapid access to proven technologies and implementation platforms, significantly reducing the knowledge and resource gap."

The third point is investment in digital infrastructure. "None of this is possible without adequate infrastructure," she warns. "Expanding internet access, ensuring the availability and reliability of digital devices, and creating platforms for data interaction are crucial for leveraging the benefits of AI at scale."

China's experience serves as a compelling example, Joleen continued. Once a "catch-up" country in education and AI, the country has become a global leader in educational AI innovation. "This proves that the so-called latecomer advantage is real, but only if a country is willing to act boldly and invest in the right areas early on," the expert concluded.

AI is rapidly changing the labor market: some professions are disappearing, others are emerging. What education does Joleen recommend for today's high school graduates?

"In the face of AI-driven changes in the labor market, I would recommend education that focuses not on highly specialized knowledge or skills, but on developing comprehensive, interdisciplinary skills. This includes both technical literacy, for example, in AI and data science, and human-centered skills such as creativity, collaboration, and ethics," the company's director responded to the question, adding, "What students learn is less important than how they learn. The ability to continuously learn, in my view, is the most important 'meta-skill' of the future."

It's also crucial to move beyond cookie-cutter educational models. Every student should have access to personalized educational pathways.

Liang doesn't believe AI will replace doctors or teachers, but "specialists who know how to use AI will outperform those who don't." "The real winners of the future will be those who can adapt fastest and continue to evolve with technology," she says.

Speaking about the prospects for female leadership in IT, Joleen Liang noted: "In my view, women in leadership positions at AI companies are still the exception, although we see encouraging signs of change. My own experience as a founder and CEO shows that women can and are successfully leading in the traditionally male-dominated field of AI."

To achieve long-term change, Liang believes, both structural support and cultural shifts are necessary. "This means creating ecosystems that actively encourage girls and women to study STEM and AI," Liang explains, concluding, "When young women see others like them succeed, a future in AI seems not only possible but also promising."

Tatyana Panchenko
Forbes Kazakhstan
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