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Putin Announces AI Alliance Network With BRICS Nations

Western sanctions have significantly curtailed Russia's access to key technologies, including advanced microchips critical for AI development.
Putin BRICS AI alliance
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at AI Journey, Sberbank's international conference on artificial intelligence technology, in Moscow, Russia December 11, 2024. (Sputnik/Kristina Kormilitsyna/Pool via REUTERS

President Vladimir Putin has said Russia would collaborate with BRICS nations and other global partners to advance artificial intelligence (AI) to counter U.S. dominance in the field.

Speaking at Russia’s flagship AI conference in Moscow on Wednesday, Putin unveiled plans for the AI Alliance Network, a platform connecting national AI associations and development institutions from BRICS countries— Brazil, China, India, and South Africa—as well as other interested states such as Serbia and Indonesia.

“Russia must participate on equal terms in the global race to create strong artificial intelligence. Advanced solutions are already being developed by Russian scientists,” Putin said, inviting global researchers to join the initiative.

Western sanctions have significantly curtailed Russia’s access to key technologies, including advanced microchips critical for AI development.

Major producers of microchips have halted exports to Russia, creating significant hurdles for the country’s AI ambitions. Sberbank, Russia’s largest lender and a leader in AI development, has acknowledged the challenges in replacing high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) that underpin AI technologies.

Despite these obstacles, the AI Alliance Network unveiled by Putin aims to foster international collaboration on AI research, regulation, and market expansion for AI products among member nations.

Russia has identified AI as a key growth area, projecting its use across sectors could contribute 11.2 trillion roubles ($109 billion) to the country’s GDP by 2030, compared to 0.2 trillion roubles ($1.9 billion) in 2023. Putin’s AI strategy also envisions equipping 80% of its workforce with AI skills by 2030, up from 5% today, alongside a seven-fold increase in AI investment to 850 billion roubles.

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Domestic players like Sberbank and technology giant Yandex are leading Russia’s AI market. Sberbank has developed GigaChat, a generative AI model, while Yandex has created YandexGPT. However, Russia remains far behind global leaders in AI innovation and implementation.

The U.S. and China currently dominate the global AI landscape, with Washington recently appointing a “White House AI and Crypto Czar” to bolster its technological leadership. Putin’s efforts to strengthen AI collaboration with China and other BRICS members may shift the dynamics of this global race.

Russia ranks 31st among 83 countries in AI innovation and investment according to the Global AI Index by UK-based Tortoise Media, trailing not only the U.S. and China but also BRICS partners India and Brazil.

Similarly, Stanford University’s AI vibrancy tool places Russia 29th among 36 nations based on AI development indicators.

While Putin seeks to bolster its standing, experts remain cautious about Russia’s ability to overcome technological and geopolitical barriers in its quest to become a global AI leader.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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