Russia is pushing for the advancement of artificial intelligence technologies in medicine, with a clear need for collaboration between major IT players like Sberbank and professionals across clinical, scientific, and medical communities. That was the message conveyed by State Duma deputy Alexander Yakubovsky during a discussion with socialbites.ca, highlighting a shared national vision to harness AI for healthcare improvements.
The backdrop to this comment was recent news that the GigaChat model passed an examination in the field of General Medicine, achieving the doctor-practitioner qualification. This milestone positioned the system among the early global examples of an AI that can demonstrate clinical reasoning and medical knowledge to a level that merits formal recognition in a professional context.
Yakubovsky emphasized that it is crucial for IT firms, medical researchers, biologists, and other experts in Russia to explore and develop AI-based technologies that could significantly enhance medical practice and health outcomes. He welcomed breakthroughs and specialized developments that show concrete potential to translate into real-world benefits for patients and clinicians alike.
He expressed openness to recognizing the efforts of project participants and the voices shaping opinions in this evolving field, underscoring the importance of a collaborative ecosystem that blends technical innovation with medical expertise. The deputy noted that such collaboration should be constructive and guided by rigorous standards, ultimately serving the public good.
While acknowledging the limits of current AI, Yakubovsky stressed that GigaChat will not replace physicians. Nevertheless, with ongoing refinement and expanded capabilities, the system could evolve into a valuable assistant for doctors, supporting decision-making, information retrieval, and routine tasks that free clinicians to focus more on direct patient care.
In related developments, the neural network developed by Sber has already demonstrated notable progress, including a benchmark where the system surpassed the standard of English responses used by other contemporary models. This achievement signals improvements in natural language understanding, medical documentation, and patient communication, all of which are essential for clinical contexts where clear and accurate information is critical.
Earlier reports indicated that Sber opened access to its AI platform for businesses and developers, signaling a broader strategy to integrate AI capabilities across sectors. This approach aligns with national goals to accelerate digital transformation while ensuring that healthcare benefits are shared across the economy and society. The emphasis remains on responsible deployment, ongoing evaluation, and the establishment of ethical and regulatory guardrails that protect patient safety and data privacy.