On November 12, Russia’s largest information technology forum, “Digital Solutions,” was held in Moscow, experts attending the forum discussed topics such as the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and protection measures for information systems. Today, AI has been widely used to identify phone fraud, optimize the work of banks in remote areas, improve logistics efficiency and other scenarios. The experts also introduced the application prospect of AI in fields such as autonomous driving and the national support plan for the information technology (IT) industry.
On Nov. 12, Russia’s largest information technology forum, “Digital Solutions,” was held in Moscow.
It industry is the strategic resource of national economy
Mishustin, the Prime Minister, has announced that Certified IT companies now account for 6% of the economy, with revenues of about 13 trillion roubles, the Russian government will continue to provide incentives for the industry, maintaining IT enterprises 15% preferential insurance rates and no more than 5% of corporate income tax. Mishustin also said big internet platforms, including ecommerce platforms, were becoming drivers of related industries from logistics to service technology. Advanced drones have a range of up to 70km on a single charge and cost less than traditional courier services.
Import substitution in the software sector is of particular concern. The withdrawal of foreign companies presents new opportunities for Russian companies, which are using it to automate technological processes. More than 50 large industrial groups are already implementing production digitization projects. Mishustin declared that the Russian government’s strategic goal was to increase the proportion of domestic software in key industries. To speed up this process, Russia is creating national capacity centres and developing enterprise solutions such as baggage tracking systems and dedicated aviation platforms.
State support for AI research and development
The Russian government has provided 350 million rubles for research and development projects in the field of AI, and 13 scientific research centers have been supported so far. Mishustin stressed that the country had the potential not only to develop AI research and development but also to become a global leader in its applications. The widespread adoption of about 15m smart speakers is testament to the scale of the technology in Russia. Demand for cloud infrastructure is also growing, with Russian companies adopting domestic cloud solutions for data analysis and project management that are comparable in quality to their foreign counterparts. The government has instructed the Ministry of Digital Development to set requirements for cloud services on government-enterprise platforms and access rules to address social and livelihood tasks.
Russia already has 90 self-driving trucks on the road. In October, a self-driving car drove itself from the Russian Tula to Moscow without any intervention from the driver. In a 2026 move, the country plans to launch its first commercial driverless taxis. One in 10 Russian university graduates has an education degree in the IT Field. About 100,000 professionals have joined the IT industry this year and there are now more than 1.1m. At the same time, new training courses for mid-level professionals have been added, and the talent pool has been strengthened through government-enterprise cooperation.
Efficient cooperation between government and enterprises
The experts present at the forum presented successful cases of government-enterprise cooperation. Garac Dionova, managing director of Russian telecoms operator MTS, stressed the role of the“White List”, which guarantees that operators can provide communications services even in restricted environments. Ai is no longer a buzzword, she says, but part of the actual business process: Intelligent algorithms are not only integrated into tariff packages, but also help companies manage infrastructure and improve network efficiency. Garac’s MS Tyonova also said the country’s technological sovereignty was increasing, with home-grown base stations being used in thousands of facilities and attracting interest from foreign partners. At the same time, the communications industry is facing the challenge of increasing network capacity with limited room for revenue growth. At present, the average Russian has two mobile phone cards, and the cost of communication is still one of the lowest in the world.
Today, says Hudaveljan, head of Yandex, Russia must also promote research and development and develop competitive business models. Russian companies operate in a market that accounts for only about 2 per cent of the global digital economy but compete with international giants with far greater resources. The main challenge lies precisely in the application of AI and Digital Solutions and the building of a high-quality talent pool. Hudaweier Jiang said that enterprises should strive to create world-class products, out of the domestic market limitations. To this end, the formation of domestic R & D investment in new technologies and re-investment conditions is essential. Nuraliyev, founder of software developer 1C, says state support for education, including digital classrooms and primary and secondary education programs, has been effective. Russia has built up immunity to external challenges in the field of intellectual property, and the level of digitalization in some industries is higher than that of many other countries.
Digital sovereignty is protected by local search engines, anti-virus software and the use of many key technologies. The main task now is to develop the software that the real economy needs to help start new businesses, improve the efficiency of existing ones and promote technological development. Government-enterprise collaboration, support for education programs and the promotion of indigenous software could help strengthen the country’s technological independence and boost productivity and process efficiency in key sectors of the economy, the experts said.
This article appears in the global times’ “Russia in perspective” special issue. The content is provided by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.