The Kazakhstan Context: AI Tools for Employment of Persons with Disabilities

Introduction. The persistently low employment rate among persons with disabilities (PWDs) constitutes a pressing socio-economic challenge for the Republic of Kazakhstan, while the rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies simultaneously presents both novel opportunities and emergent risks for its mitigation. The present study was aimed at conducting a comprehensive analysis of the current state and prospective applications of AI tools for facilitating the employment of PWDs within the Kazakhstani context. Materials and Methods. Methodologically, the investigation drew upon: statistical analysis of aggregated data from government portals (inva.gov.kz, the Bureau of National Statistics, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan) and private recruitment platforms (hh.kz, Enbek.kz); a thematic review of international scientific literature (2020–2026, n = 38 full-text sources); and comparative analysis with Kazakhstan’s regulatory and strategic framework. Results. It was established that among approximately 759,000 PWDs in Kazakhstan, roughly 376,000 are of working age, of whom only about 30% are employed. The potential reserve of unemployed PWDs (≈ 265,000) substantially exceeds the combined supply of quota-based and voluntarily designated vacancies (≈ 68,700), which covers merely about 26% of this reserve. Four categories of AI tools relevant to inclusive employment were identified: assistive technologies, intelligent job-matching platforms, workplace adaptation tools, and career guidance solutions. It is demonstrated that AI possesses ambivalent potential: personalized job matching and compensation for functional limitations coexist with the risks of algorithmic discrimination and the perpetuation of gender disparities. A practical “roadmap” was formulated, encompassing the integration of a specialized PWD module into the “Digital Employment Service”, the localization of AI-assisted applications, and the establishment of an employer support platform. Conclusion. It is substantiated that the introduction of AI tools into the domain of inclusive employment constitutes not a technological option but a strategic imperative for building a competitive economy in Kazakhstan.