Russia's AI Ambitions Despite Western Sanctions

Russia is determined to enhance its position in the global artificial intelligence (AI) landscape by 2030, despite facing Western sanctions. This assertion comes from Alexander Vedyakhin, the first deputy CEO of Sberbank, the largest lender in Russia.

While some AI developers left the country in recent years, particularly following the mobilization efforts for the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Vedyakhin noted that many are now returning, attracted by emerging opportunities in AI development. He emphasized the importance of encouraging experimentation within the sector to keep pace with global trends.

Currently, Russia is lagging behind the United States and China in AI development, trailing by approximately six to nine months in various metrics. However, Vedyakhin believes this gap can be bridged swiftly.

"I am confident that Russia can significantly improve its current positions in international rankings by 2030 through its own developments and supportive regulation in the field of generative AI," said Vedyakhin, whose bank is taking the lead in this domain.

He pointed out that Western sanctions were aimed at restricting Russia's computational capacity, but the country is countering this by utilizing its talented scientists and engineers.

AI Rankings and Future Prospects

Presently, Russia ranks 31st out of 83 countries in the Global AI Index, which evaluates AI implementation, innovation, and investment, according to Tortoise Media. This positions Russia behind not only the US and China but also fellow BRICS nations such as India and Brazil.

During Sberbank's annual AI Journey conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated a desire to collaborate with BRICS partners and other nations to advance AI technology and counter US dominance in this critical sector.

Vedyakhin elaborated that Russia does not aim to compete with the US and China in building large-scale data centers but rather focuses on developing sophisticated AI models, akin to Meta's Large Language Model Meta AI, known as Llama.

Technological Sovereignty through Generative AI

Vedyakhin asserted that developing generative AI models in the Russian language would ensure the country’s technological sovereignty. "I believe any nation seeking independence on the global stage should possess its own large language model," he stated. Currently, Russia is among ten nations working on national generative AI models.

He highlighted the limitations of English-trained models in local markets, where they often misinterpret regional contexts. For instance, when asked to depict a popular Russian dish called 'herring under a fur coat', a typical Western model might inaccurately imagine a fish wearing a fur coat instead of recognizing it as a specific dish.

Additionally, Vedyakhin remarked that countries like China and Europe risk losing their AI advantages due to imposing excessive regulations. He expressed hope that Russia would maintain a regulatory environment supportive of AI development.

Encouraging Experimentation and Investment

Vedyakhin warned that stifling experimentation among scientists and corporations could hinder technological progress. "If we restrict our scientists and major companies from experimenting now, it may halt technological advancements altogether. As soon as bans emerge, we could lose our edge in artificial intelligence," he stated.

He emphasized the current environment in Russia, where individuals are encouraged to experiment without fear of severe repercussions if mistakes occur, suggesting that this open-minded approach could place Russia among leaders in AI technology.

Despite a general decline in venture capital investment in Russia, funding for AI startups continues to grow, signaling the potential for a diverse market beyond the current dominance of Sberbank and technology firm Yandex.

The Rise of Decentralized AI Organizations

Regarding the future of work, Vedyakhin pointed to the emergence of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), where AI systems can communicate using blockchain technology. This model could help address labor shortages in Russia. "In such a DAO, there could be only one human, a CEO or owner, while everything else is managed by AI agents," he explained, predicting widespread use of DAOs in Russia within the next three to five years.

AI, Russia, Sanctions, Innovation, Investment