One of the priorities of the information society in the modern era, accompanied by rapid socio-economic and technological dynamics, is the development of the fields of cybernetics and informatics and the elimination of existing problems. Establishment of “public-private-academic” cooperation around these areas, creation of new methods and determination of scientific research directions, expansion of artificial intelligence areas and development of application areas are the requirements of the modern era. On the eve of the 80th anniversary of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, General Director of the Institute of Control Systems of the Ministry of Science and Education Academician Ali Abbasov gave an interview about the works and planned projects in these areas.

We present this interview to your attention.

Dear Ali muallim, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of ANAS. What is your assessment of the course of the Academy's development during this period?

If we consider the establishment, development period and current state of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, this process can be divided into several stages. Established in 1945, in the first years of its existence the Academy successfully passed the process of formation of its scientific-organizational structure, its organization and formation of material-technical base. In general, since its establishment, ANAS has carried out several major revolutionary steps and projects. In the early years, the focus was on the development of petrochemical technologies. Later, attention was focused on the fields of geology, physics, mathematics and earth sciences. One of these areas was the creation and application of information technology, control systems and electronic calculating machines. The first electronic computing device was created in the USA in 1945. In 1952, steps in this direction were taken in the former USSR, including Azerbaijan. In the first years of the Academy's existence, implementation of scientific results in industry began. The idea of creation of high-octane, frost-resistant fuel, extraction of oil from the sea and creation of Oil Rocks are linked to the names of scientists of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences.

The period of 1969-1982 was a special stage in the development of the Academy, which is connected with the name of outstanding statesman, great leader Heydar Aliyev, who headed the Azerbaijan Soviet Republic. It is no coincidence that the years of leadership of national leader Heydar Aliyev in Soviet Azerbaijan are considered as the period of revival of science, education and culture. In 1970s, new buildings were built for research institutes of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, special design bureaus were established. As a result of Heydar Aliyev's initiative, spheres of application of science were expanded, conditions for creativity of scientists were created, outstanding scientists were rewarded for their activity. Scientific results of scientists of the Academy were tested in design bureaus. Successful results achieved were applied in many fields of industry.

In the 1970s-1980s, talented scientists and experienced specialists in the field of electronics, automation and computer engineering were trained at the Academy of Sciences, universities and industry institutes, and plants for the production of electronic equipment were built. Space Research Center, Information and Telecommunication Scientific Center, “Neftgazavtomatika” and other research institutions were established. The republican automated control systems - RASU - republican computer network “Azerbaijan”, automated systems and complexes of oil production control, known and used all over the USSR, were created. Giant production complexes such as “AZON” and “NORD” scientific and production associations, radio plant, electronic computer plant, “Peyk” and “Ulduz” factories were built and put into operation. Later, more than 30 factories producing electronics and devices were launched in Nakhchivan, Terter, Mingachevir, Shirvan, Ganja, Sumgait and Baku. Thus, a new and extremely profitable industry was created in the republic. Its scientific support was created. Special design bureaus “Kristall”, “Register”, “Tellur”, “Cybernetics”, “Biotex”, “Microelectronics”, “Cascade” started operating under research institutes. Material and technical base for training of specialists in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) has been created in such higher educational institutions as Baku State University, Azerbaijan Technical University, Azerbaijan State University of Economics, Sumgayit State University, Nakhchivan State University. Thus, Heydar Aliyev started to implement in Azerbaijan the “University-State-Economy” triple spiral model, which is now accepted worldwide as a scheme of development of modern socio-economic progress.

Today Azerbaijan has already joined the ranks of space nations, has become the author of regional transnational digital corridors, a country exporting electronic signatures and services, a country ensuring the establishment and development of a new society - an information society based on modern digital technologies, including artificial intelligence.

Ali muallim, the institution you head was founded in 1960. If we look at the history of creation of the Institute of Control Systems over these 65 years, what achievements has it achieved?

Yes, you are right, this year marks the 65th anniversary of the founding of our Institute. However, the date of establishment of the Institute can be considered as May 1952, when the Laboratory of Electromodeling was set up at the Oil Survey of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. Then in 1956 the laboratory became a part of the Institute of Physics and Mathematics of the Academy of Sciences, and in 1958 - a part of the Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics as a Computing Center, and in 1960 the Computing Center became an independent organization within the Academy of Sciences. In May 1965, this Computing Center was renamed the Institute of Cybernetics. The basis for the development of the former Institute of Cybernetics was also laid during the leadership of national leader Heydar Aliyev. In these years, the foundations of the informatics and electronics sector were laid in Azerbaijan to meet the needs of industry and its rapid development began. In the same years, a Special Design Bureau was established within the Institute to create and implement experimental samples of devices and systems. The self-financing bureau has achieved great success since its establishment and continues its activities to this day.

In 1972, during the meeting with the President of the USSR Academy of Sciences Academician M. Keldysh, who came to Azerbaijan at the invitation of Heydar Aliyev, the great leader made an informative speech at a high level, talked about the activity of the Academy of Sciences, including scientific and public activity of Mstislav Keldysh in precise, complete and professional expressions. M. Keldysh could not hide his surprise and satisfaction after this speech. His perception of the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR and the republic as a whole had changed. As a result, Azerbaijan was allocated BESM-6 computer, which was considered the most powerful at that time and was supplied only to defense organizations.

It was the installation and launching of this computer at the Institute of Cybernetics that led to the rapid development of informatics in Azerbaijan. In general, the development of informatics in our country and our successes in this field are linked to the name of our unforgettable President Heydar Aliyev.

In 1994, as a result of efforts of our scientists and engineers, the introduction and use of Internet started in the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, the second in CIS countries after Russia. With the coming to power of great leader Heydar Aliyev and signing of the “Contract of the Century”, the activity of scientific institutions, as in all spheres, was restored. Internet was first introduced in research institutes and then in higher education institutions. In 1995, the official website of ANAS, www.ab.az, was launched for the first time in the country.  Currently, the portal, which has been functioning for 30 years under the name science.gov.az, has been providing invaluable services in the scientific and public life of the country, in bringing scientific achievements of scientists and specialists to local and foreign audiences since its establishment.

In 2014, the Institute of Cybernetics was renamed to the Institute of Control Systems by the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers. Currently, the Institute continues fundamental scientific research, development and applied work in accordance with theoretical and applied problems of control, artificial intelligence technologies and challenges of modern science.

What work was done at your institute last year? How would you assess the scientific research conducted in 2024?

By the resolution of the Science Council of the Institute 23 important achievements were approved in 2024 in three main areas: Theoretical and applied control problems; Artificial Intelligence technologies and Studies of socio-economic systems. Nine of them were selected and accepted by the Science Council of the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Technical Sciences of ANAS, and finally, two scientific results were selected by the General Assembly of ANAS and included in the annual scientific results of ANAS. We would also like to note that last year the results of scientific research by the staff of the Institute were published in 370 scientific papers, including 201 articles (29 - in WoS databases, 50 - in Scopus databases, etc.) with about 3000 references, 3 patents were obtained.

It should be noted that last year 7 grant projects were finalized and 3 grant projects were continued. The grants and support of Azerbaijan Science Foundation, SOCAR, Erasmus and MSE Scientific Program (formerly ANAS) are especially worth mentioning here. These grants provide great assistance to our institute in commercialization of science and implementation of applied works.

In what fields are the results of scientific research implemented?

With this question you have touched upon the most important problem of science and technology development in Azerbaijan and practically in the whole world today - commercialization of science, i.e. introduction of scientific results into industry, solution of natural problems.

We, in our turn, attach special importance to applied work in the Institute's activity. In recent years, in the reporting year and to date, the Institute of Control Systems has been implementing applied projects in three areas:

- Development and application of intelligent control systems capable of collecting, transmitting and processing information based on international SCADA standards and adaptable to different spheres (oil and gas, energy, etc.) in the management of technological processes based on the “Internet of Things”. It is implemented in the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan - SOCAR, and recently also in the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency;

- Development and application of on-board computer, flight controller, special communication and flight control system and relevant software for various purposes, including for special purpose unmanned aerial vehicles. Implemented in the Ministry of Defense Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Karabakh economic region;

- Solving the problem of recognition, understanding and synthesis of the Azerbaijani language on the basis of generative Big Language Model (GAI) on the basis of artificial intelligence-based natural language technologies for languages with low digital resources and its application in relevant fields, including robotic call centers, education (robot tutor, virtual learning), medicine, etc. It is being implemented or prepared for implementation in such institutions as the State Examination Center, call centers, emergency medical services.

It is also important to note that the implementation of large-scale projects becomes more effective and sustainable if it is built on the platform of “public-private partnership” adopted in many countries of the world, including Azerbaijan. But if we add another pillar to this widely accepted platform, the realization of innovative projects on the platform of “public-private-academic cooperation” will become more effective and reliable. The participation of the private sector should be emphasized here. For example, 50-60% of R&D expenditure in developed Western countries is accounted for by the private sector. For example, Amazon's R&D expenditures in the USA in fiscal year 2023 amounted to approximately $73 billion, which is about twice as much as the R&D expenditures of the CIS countries combined.

Implementation of research results at the Institute is carried out by the Special Design Bureau on the basis of economic contracts within the framework of cooperation with SINAM, startup companies Robotroniks, IntelPro and Neorotime.

Global science is currently investing heavily in artificial intelligence. Scientific centers are moving towards digitalization and e-governance. What projects are being implemented at the Institute of Control Systems in this area?

Although the first steps of artificial intelligence in the world were taken as early as the 1950s, nothing significant was achieved until the end of the century. Artificial intelligence technologies have been widely used in the last 30 years, and one of the main directions is natural language processing, or NLP technologies. As the first project in our country, voice translation of Azerbaijani language, models of its understanding and decision-making were created on the basis of artificial intelligence.

At the same time, problems of artificial intelligence, as well as studies and results obtained in this direction by MSE and ANAS institutes attract attention. The work on development and application of AI in Azerbaijan started long ago, and the research of natural language processing (NLP) technologies began in the 1990s, and its rapid development began in our country, as well as in other leading countries, in the 2000s. However, in 2023, the ChatGPT system based on the Large Language Model developed by the American company Open AI and the subsequent announcement of generative versions surpassed the systems based on national language models, and today such systems as CPT-4o, LLAMA, BERT, DEEPSTEEK, Grok 3 and the forthcoming multimodal GPT-5 have started to be widely used and have become widespread all over the world.

These systems are also widely used in Azerbaijan. However, the main issue today is the creation and wide application in our country of artificial intelligence software with open source code and the corresponding technical support and infrastructure, which is built on national information resources on the basis of Big Language Models, as well as trained on national datasets (Deep Learning) and contains potential and real capabilities of leading foreign LLM systems. As in the leading countries in this direction, we are concerned with the question of how AI will be used in future scientific research and applications, as well as the issue of its positive and negative consequences. This question has particularly interested scientists after it was revealed that two of the three scientists awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry - Google DeepMind directors Demis Hassabis and John Jumper - have successfully solved the problem of predicting the three-dimensional structures of proteins, an important problem in chemistry and biology, using artificial intelligence.

The main prerequisite for solving the problem is the establishment of a national center and infrastructure of artificial intelligence in our country with an open architecture and access to current and future development resources and services of the world's leading systems. Given that artificial intelligence systems can now operate autonomously, this poses new challenges and threats. Indeed, as digitalization increases, cybersecurity is considered a major concern. Today, digital resources in the world are growing at 60% annually. All major systems, modern military systems, banking systems are becoming digital.

In 2023, the global revenue of the information technology industry amounted to $5.3 trillion. The damage caused by cybersecurity is estimated at $8-10 trillion dollars. This even creates an economic paradox. It turns out that digitalization does not justify itself economically. However, we are not talking about economic damage, in general, even future world conflicts and wars are going digital. In such a case, global security comes to the fore. The main problem of national systems here is the software and hardware of artificial intelligence, data sets, information resources and the deep learning principle built on them.

In such a situation, it is important to create the above-mentioned local system and infrastructure of artificial intelligence, taking into account the aspects of reducing national dependence on artificial intelligence technologies in solving future tasks and for technological and innovative development. It should be noted that this approach is not some new revolutionary phenomenon. A number of countries have already started to create such systems. The relevant decision in this regard was made at the General Annual Reporting Meeting held with the participation of the National Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Science and Education.

I would like to draw your attention to one more issue. Azerbaijan's logistical opportunities continue to grow from year to year. There are different approaches to the East-West corridor. However, the prospects of the “Middle Corridor” project, recently established on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev, are very high. Our scientists also have certain responsibilities in this field. Recently, artificial intelligence has started to be applied for solution of logistic problems. Scientists of the Institute of Control Systems are also working in this area. The Institute is supported by the Ministry of Digital Development and Transportation. In the digital strategic project of the European Union, the Institute of Control Systems plays the role of a contact point for solving scientific problems.

Ali muallim, what is the level of international relations of the Institute of Control Systems?

In recent years, we have been establishing scientific and technical cooperation with scientific centers of leading countries of the world. In 2024, employees of the Institute published 13 scientific articles in co-authorship with scientists from Greece, Ukraine, Hungary, India, People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation.

We have expanded our cooperation with the Aerospace Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing North University.

This year we signed a cooperation agreement with Guangzhou University in China.

The Chinese Aerospace Research Institute and the Institute of Control Systems are conducting research on the use of aerospace information to solve earth problems. At the COP29 conference held in our country last year, there were two panels on this topic, one of which was called “A View from Sky to Earth.” As a result, we are channeling data from the sky using artificial intelligence to solve problems on the ground. Here, solving global problems includes issues from major cities to dealing with earth disasters and climate change. If we want to significantly accelerate the solution of these problems by using satellite technology from space, low-orbit satellites are favored here. With more than a hundred low-orbit satellites, China can collect information from virtually every corner of the Earth. As a result of exchange of experience with China, we provide scientific support to Azerkosmos in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan's space agency Azerkosmos cooperates very closely with China's National Space Administration. We are working on joint projects with Chinese scientists. We also held 8 international conferences in the reporting year. Three of them were held here, the rest were held abroad or online.

From 2022, some institutes of the Academy were transferred to the Ministry of Science and Education by the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev. One of the key activities is the integration of science and education. How are things going in this area?

Integration of science and education has always been one of the main issues. The institutes that were split off from the Academy have been operating under the Ministry of Science and Education for the last 3 years. The main achievement in this area is the implementation of joint projects with universities. The institutes also have scientific bases. We publish joint articles in journals indexed in reputable databases. As a result, university rankings are growing. More than one hundred students complete their work experience programs at the Institute of Control Systems every year. Some of our scientists lecture to students at the institutes.

The Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Science and Education are successfully fulfilling their responsibilities for the integration of science and education. Every year the Academy of Sciences passes reports. ANAS, as a superior public research institution, mainly coordinates scientific research and plays an important role in selecting the right priorities. On the initiative of the Ministry of Science and Education, incentive prizes were started last year for scientists working in research institutes. Scientists at our institute also receive additional funding for publishing their articles in prestigious journals. However, they are a minority. From 2025, we have agreed with the Ministry of Science and Education to provide cash prizes to at least fifty percent of our scientists whose articles are published in specialized journals, using internal resources.

How do you assess the interest of young people in science? How can we attract young researchers to the country's economy, as well as to interdisciplinary projects?

Recently, on the eve of Youth Day, Rustam Azimov, a researcher of the Laboratory of Recognition, Identification and Optimal Decision-Making Methods of the Institute of Control Systems, was awarded the Presidential Prize in accordance with the Decree of President Ilham Aliyev “On Awarding Presidential Prizes to Youth in 2025”. He is also Deputy Chair of the Council of Young Scientists and Specialists of our Institute. Rustam Azimov successfully defended his dissertation for a PhD degree in Engineering. It is necessary to emphasize the role of the Head of Department of the Institute of Control Systems, Corresponding Member of ANAS Kamil Ayda-zade in the achievements of R. Azimov in his scientific activity. On behalf of the staff of the Institute of Control Systems, we thank President Ilham Aliyev for supporting young people like Rustam Azimov.

However, when it comes to young people's interest in science, my approach in this area is a bit different. Yes, it is evident that young people are less interested in science than in other fields. There are several factors at play here. Today, everyone wants to go into business and make a profit faster. However, science is a field where the salary you get will be less than what you would be offered by a private company. However, if we can instill enthusiasm and confidence in a young person who wants to pursue science, even if the salary is low, and if we can harness the young researcher's knowledge, put their scientific theory into practice and apply it to industry, they will see the fruits of their labor. As they turn their knowledge into capital, their living conditions will improve and they will contribute to the development of science. As a result, young people will also take notice and become more interested in science. If the institute can work with private companies in this direction, the financial interest of researchers will increase. We are also trying to do this in our institute.

Ali muallim, you express your proposals on “public-private-academic” partnership at various platforms. What practical work should be done in this field?

This topic is one of the most pressing issues of our time. Today we call it innovative development. There is a model of such development in the world, we call it the golden triangle model. That is, it stands on three pillars. The first pillar is human capital - knowledge that is formed in the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and universities, and the second pillar is the state - the state must create conditions so that companies that will apply knowledge in industry based on experience can provide benefits to startups. By benefits, we mean tax exemptions, reduced customs duties, the creation of high-tech parks, the operation of special economic zones, etc. The third pillar is financial. In this direction, in developing countries, including Azerbaijan, a lot of work still needs to be done. We call it venture capital. That is, this is a type of capital financing provided to startups or developing companies with high potential and high risk. This is a high-risk, high-return investment model where investors seek to identify companies with high growth potential and help them grow to make a significant return on their investment. It is a risk where funds are allocated to several projects, but no results are achieved. However, the project that brings in the profit from these risky ventures sometimes not only covers all the losses, but also creates an additional source of income. Today, leading technology companies in the world have taken this path.

Currently, the amount of funds allocated to science from the state budget of Azerbaijan does not exceed one percent. In developed countries this indicator is different. In South Korea, this indicator is about 4.3%, and in America - about 2%. But this does not mean that we allocate less money for science from the state budget. In addition to the money allocated to science in developed countries, private companies provide a lot of support. If we want to channel scientific results into industrial applications, private companies and corporations should definitely support us. The Institute of Control Systems has a very good model in this area. The Institute has a self-financing design bureau. We hand over the obtained scientific results to experimental design and implement them in the industry. However, there is a gap in industrial application of this field in our country. To fill this gap, it is important to actively work with the private sector.

We expect that the Ministry of Science and Education will create conditions for the activity of institutes and research centers in this area. Because in an open market economy, whether private companies or state institutions, everyone buys high quality and inexpensive products. In Soviet times, scientific knowledge was tested in design bureaus and applied in industry. Contracts with government agencies were concluded and orders were fulfilled. Now the price of finished products is formed on the basis of supply and demand. There should be agreements on cooperation with private companies. There should be experimental design bureaus. At present, startups are working in the institute, but, unfortunately, we present scientific results without any profit. If these companies allocate additional funds, the positive results obtained will be applied in industry. During our discussions with the companies, they also said that, as I mentioned above, private companies should be provided with low-interest loans and subsidies to introduce scientific results into industry.

I would like to recall a wonderful quote by Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. He says that the fire of knowledge of genius needs the fuel of interest. Indeed, for human knowledge to become a final product, it is necessary to arouse interest in those who created it. We cannot do this alone as an institution, but we can create this system in partnership with private companies.

Ali muallim, thank you for the interview.

Thank you and I would like to congratulate all employees of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, confidently going to the future with renewed and new ideas, on the 80th anniversary! I wish successes and achievements in scientific activity to the employees of the Academy!

Interview by: Agil MAHARRAMOV, Chief Specialist of the Public Relations, Press and Information Department of the Presidium of ANAS.

 

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