Putin calls for Russia to rally behind domestic AI, tech sovereignty

Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched a national AI task force to manage the development of generative AI in the country. 

Russia has taken a strategic and economic interest in AI, but the country’s entrance into the global AI industry will put it far behind established leaders in the industry like America and China.  

Putin believes AI is a matter of independence 

President Vladimir Putin recently announced the creation of a national task force at Russia’s flagship AI Journey conference. The purpose of the task force will be to coordinate generative AI development across the country.  

Putin explained that large language models (LLMs) have become vital tools for shaping public opinion, which means that dependence on foreign AI is a threat to Russia’s technological and value-based independence. 

He stressed the importance of Russia having its own full suite of generative AI technologies that will all be under the supervision of Russian experts. He also warned against harsh regulations, but said that for national security and intelligence, only Russian-trained models should be used so that their data remains within the country. 

The task force will promote the building of data centers across Russia. They will be supported by nearby energy sources like small-scale nuclear power stations.  

During his address, Putin also urged both state institutions and private companies to increase AI adoption. Putin projected that AI could contribute more than 11 trillion rubles (around $136 billion) to Russia’s GDP by 2030. 

Russia is far behind AI powerhouses like the U.S. and China in terms of technology development, but it already has some homegrown large-language models, including Gigachat, which was developed by Sberbank and Yandex GPT.  At the same conference, Sberbank demonstrated upgraded versions of its model, as well as AI-driven products ranging from humanoid robots to health-scanning ATMs. 

One of the biggest obstacles for Russia’s AI ambition is the Western sanctions on microchips, as it limits Russia’s capacity to scale up its computing infrastructure. 

Putin’s selective cooperation 

The Russian President has said repeatedly that he regards foreign AI dominance as a threat to Russian culture and security. As far back as 2023, he warned that Western-trained AI systems could reflect Western values, ignoring or even “canceling” Russian traditions, history, and public policy. 

However, in late 2024, he announced an “AI Alliance Network” with BRICS members (Brazil, China, India, South Africa) and other nations to develop AI and build alternative regulation and market channels together. In early 2025, he ordered Sberbank and the government to deepen AI cooperation with China. 

According to recent research, Russia’s lower chamber of parliament, the State Duma, has been working on AI regulation since 2023, and there is reportedly a working group ordered to produce AI laws by 2026.

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