Azerbaijan trains 86 senior officials in AI for public administration under Digital Academy

Azerbaijan's Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA) said on 13 November 2026 that 86 senior officials from 38 government institutions took part in a "Digital Academy" training session on artificial intelligence in public administration, held on 3–5 November 2026 in cooperation with the US-based Parallax Advisory Group, according to the agency's statement.

What the session covered

• The session "brought together 86 senior officials from 38 government institutions and featured extensive discussions on the application of artificial intelligence in public administration, the opportunities it creates for decision-making and the development of public services, as well as the risks and organizational approaches to consider during implementation," IDDA said.
• Presentations covered "current global trends in artificial intelligence, key factors influencing the successful implementation of AI projects, the principles of machine learning, and modern AI tools and platforms," according to the agency.
• Experts stressed the need to "accurately assess organizational contexts during the decision-making stage, ensure access to high-quality data, and continuously develop relevant management competencies," IDDA said.
• A dedicated segment covered data management, including "best practices in data collection and preparation, ensuring data quality, and the principles of ethical and responsible data use," per the agency.
• Further modules are set for December 2026, when officials will work on "project presentations related to their respective areas of responsibility," IDDA said.
• Since 2023, IDDA has run four Digital Academy programmes with international partners, reaching "315 civil servants and senior officials" across "54 government institutions" to date, the agency said.

Why it matters

The session extends a series of IDDA-run programmes aimed at building AI literacy among Azerbaijan's civil service, following the agency's "Digital Horizons" training for state employees launched in October 2026. Regionally, it adds a US training partner to an IDDA roster that already includes Portugal's AI Gigafactory, with which the agency met on data-centre and AI infrastructure cooperation earlier in November 2026.

What it means for Azerbaijani institutions

The programme is consistent with Azerbaijan's Artificial Intelligence Strategy for 2025–2028, signed by presidential decree on 19 March 2025 "to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence... as well as to strengthen qualified human resources," according to Trend.az's report on the decree. For government institutions, the practical signal is that AI competence is becoming a recurring requirement for senior officials through a standing programme rather than a one-off event, with the next cohort's project work due in December 2026.