Russia Advances AI Adoption Across the Economy
Russia ranks among the leading nations in total computing power, and artificial intelligence is making steady inroads across priority economic sectors. In recent remarks during a plenary session at the industry AI Day hosted by the Russian exhibition titled Artificial Intelligence – The Main Technology of the 21st Century, the Minister of Economic Development, Maxim Reshetnikov, reported that AI application in priority areas reached 31.5 percent. The message underscored a growing national focus on leveraging AI to strengthen productivity and competitiveness.
The minister highlighted persistent workforce challenges—skilled labor shortages, intense competition for talent, and rising wages—as persistent pressures for the near future. Artificial intelligence is positioned as a catalyst to address these issues by streamlining processes, cutting costs, and improving product quality. To accelerate the AI sector’s development, the government has drafted a comprehensive national strategy aimed at guiding AI growth through 2030.
Reshetnikov stressed that sustaining momentum in AI adoption requires broad-based action and mass deployment across industries. Given the scale of the economy, he said, advancing AI is a government-wide responsibility. He pointed to system-wide reforms to ease regulatory barriers, the experimentation with legal regimes, and the creation of a robust talent pipeline as critical levers to encourage businesses to adopt AI technology.
Additionally, the minister called for practical incentives to engage organizations that have not yet integrated AI solutions and for a functional market that supports AI deployment. He also emphasized the importance of strengthening foundational science, including computational methods for neural networks, novel approaches to model construction, and optimization techniques for large-scale calculations.
Reshetnikov added that the country would establish science schools, increase funding, and open new research centers. The objective is to attract industry participation, boost computing capacity, and create in-country opportunities for the best emerging experts to contribute to and benefit from the AI ecosystem.
Under the national AI development framework, the planned adoption of AI by 2030 is projected to lift Russia’s GDP by 11.2 trillion rubles. Public and private investments in AI are expected to rise from 120 billion rubles to as much as 850 billion rubles per year, with as many as 95 percent of priority sectors anticipated to actively implement artificial intelligence. The long-term outlook positions AI as a central engine for modernization, efficiency, and competitiveness across government, industry, and services.
The discussion also touched on the broader implications of AI integration, including the potential for technology to reshape organizational structures, spur new business models, and drive modernization in public services. Through strategic investment and policy alignment, the initiative aims to cultivate a resilient AI-enabled economy that can adapt to evolving global demand and technological progress.
In related remarks, experts noted that ongoing collaboration between government, academia, and industry will be essential to translating research advances into practical tools and scalable solutions. The emphasis on education, research funding, and international cooperation is seen as a cornerstone for sustaining growth in AI capabilities while maintaining robust data governance and ethical standards.
Overall, the national AI strategy signals a concerted effort to position Russia as a major player in the global AI landscape. By expanding computing capacity, fostering innovation, and aligning policy with market needs, the plan seeks to unlock widespread adoption and deliver measurable economic benefits across the federation (Source: Ministry of Economic Development).