Expert: Azerbaijan prioritizes human capital in digital transformation

Human capital is at the center of digital transformation in Azerbaijan.

Shahmar Hajiyahyayev, Head of the Information Security Department at the Innovation and Digital Development Agency under the Azerbaijani Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, said this at an event titled "The Future of Financial Cybersecurity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" held in Baku, Report informs.

According to him, important steps have been taken in the country in recent years to develop both cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, as well as to approve digital action plans.

"These steps serve to ensure that Azerbaijan keeps pace with global trends and becomes more resilient and competitive in the era of digital transformation. Every strategy has its key priorities and goals. In my opinion, one of the most important issues in this area is the formation of human capital. The development of human resources is one of the key factors in both artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Technology can be acquired. However, using it properly and determining which technology should be applied for which purpose depends on the human factor. Therefore, strengthening personnel capacity has been identified as one of the priority areas at the national level," he said.

"The development of personnel capacity should not be limited to a few-month course or training program. If we want to train strong specialists in artificial intelligence or cybersecurity, these people must go through all stages of the ecosystem.

First of all, they must acquire theoretical knowledge and then gain practical skills in a laboratory environment. At the same time, they must know the capabilities and areas of application of various technologies without depending on a specific vendor. At the next stage, they must reach a level where they can not only use existing technologies, but also create new solutions and local products," Hacıyəhyayev noted.