Putin Unveils Russia's AI Strategy, aims to diminish Western dominance

Speaking at an AI conference in Moscow, Putin emphasized the necessity for "reliable and transparent" Russian solutions to counteract the perceived "digital colonization" of Russian culture. 

Putin argued against the Western monopoly on AI technology, deeming it "inadmissible and dangerous" and a threat to Russian culture. 

He expressed concern that many contemporary systems, rooted in Western data and designed for the Western market, reflect values and norms that Russia opposes.

Putin, known for promoting "traditional values" to counter alleged Western influence, has intensified such policies, particularly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in March 2014. 

During his address, Putin warned that AI algorithms developed by Western platforms could lead to the digital erasure of Russia and its culture, potentially resulting in "xenophobia." 

He criticized the selective and biased results of leading search engines, stating that they often neglect Russia and its cultural contributions.

Putin pledged increased resources for the development of supercomputers and technologies to bolster national AI research efforts. 

While acknowledging the impossibility of banning AI, he stressed the importance of mandatory guarantees. Notably, he praised major Russian tech firms Yandex and Sberbank for their contributions to AI development during the conference. 

In July of the same year, the CEO of Sberbank disclosed an annual income of three billion dollars following the bank's one-billion-dollar investment in AI.