About

I’m Oybek Khodjaev — a systems transformation analyst examining AI governance.

My journey:

Born in 1969 in Samarkand, I came of age during the final years of the Soviet Union. I witnessed Perestroika’s promises and the USSR’s collapse. I saw firsthand how institutions designed to last forever disintegrated in months.

For over 30 years, I’ve navigated systemic transitions:

  • Finance & Banking: Deputy Chairman of the Board, Uzagroindustrialbank; leading roles in lending, treasury, investment, and risk management
  • Government: Deputy Governor of Samarkand Region (2019–2022), overseeing investment and foreign trade
  • Private Sector: Founder & CEO of INVEXI, advising on strategic transformations across CIS countries

Why AI governance matters to me:

I bring a different perspective to AI governance.

I come from direct experience with institutional collapse and systemic transformation.

When I see today’s AI governance debates, I recognize familiar patterns:

  • Institutions claiming control they don’t have
  • Technical solutions to governance problems
  • Performative transparency without accountability
  • Belief that “this time is different”

I’ve seen this movie before. It doesn’t end well.

What I write about:

  • How AI governance repeats patterns of failed institutional control
  • Lessons from post-Soviet collapse applied to AI safety
  • The gap between policy frameworks and power realities
  • Why current AI governance approaches may accelerate — not prevent — loss of control

My analysis draws from direct experience with:

  • Institutional collapse (USSR)
  • Economic transformation (post-Soviet transitions)
  • Digital transformation (Uzbekistan regional government)
  • Cross-sector governance (finance, government, private sector)

I don’t have all the answers. I have questions shaped by watching systems fall apart.

Subscribe to my newsletter: okhodjaev.substack.com

Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/oybek-khodjaev