Speaking at the AI Journey conference in Moscow, President Vladimir Putin declared that Russia aims to compete in the global artificial intelligence (AI) competition alongside its BRICS partners, including Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. He also extended an invitation to scientists from around the globe to join their efforts.
Overcoming Challenges
The United States has imposed multiple sanctions on Russia, notably restricting access to microchips essential for developing and training AI systems. Despite these challenges, Putin is optimistic that collaborating on research within the BRICS nations will lead to the creation of more AI products tailored for their markets.
Advancements in AI
In 2023, Sberbank, Russia's top financial services firm, introduced its AI chatbot named GigaChat, which reportedly gained over 2.5 million users by February 2024, as noted by Wikipedia. Additionally, Yandex, the largest internet service provider in Russia, released its version of a GPT alternative called YandexGPT, which supports more than 1000 companies throughout the country.
Future Goals
Sberbank's CEO, Alexander Vedyakhin, shared with Reuters that they are attempting "to make up for the lack (of microchips) with our skilled scientists and engineers," expressing belief that "Russia can greatly enhance its standing in international rankings by 2030 through homegrown innovations and favorable regulations."
At the event, Putin emphasized that "Russia must take part on equal footing in the global effort to develop powerful artificial intelligence," noting that Russian scientists are already engaged in creating "advanced solutions" to address the chip shortage.
Vision for AI Workforce
Russia envisions the implementation of AI technologies in every industry, aiming for at least 80% of its workforce to possess AI skills by the year 2030.
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