December 17, 2024
By Our Correspondent
Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia will work in collaboration with BRICS nations and other countries to advance artificial intelligence, representing a significant effort to challenge the United States’ dominance in this emerging field. During the unveiling of the new AI Alliance Network, the President emphasized the necessity for Russia to “engage on equal footing in the global competition to develop advanced AI.”
Russia and BRICS Establish AI Partnership
This newly formed AI alliance aims to foster cooperation in research, regulation, and the acceleration of AI technology, with the goal of expanding access to global markets and the advantages of AI. “Russia must engage on equal footing in the global competition to develop strong artificial intelligence. It is precisely the innovative solutions that Russian scientists are currently pursuing,” Putin stated at an AI conference held in Moscow. He further invited scientists from around the globe to participate in this collaborative effort.
On December 11, Sberbank, Russia’s leading financial institution, announced that the new alliance would encompass organizations from Brazil, India, South Africa, China, and additional non-BRICS nations. Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of Sberbank’s Board, remarked that AI could contribute an estimated 11.2 trillion rubles to Russia’s GDP by the year 2030. “I am confident that through our own innovations and supportive regulations in the realm of generative AI, Russia can significantly enhance its standing in international rankings by 2030,” Vedyakhin conveyed to Reuters.
In the wake of this announcement, Putin underscored the disparity between Russia and the leading AI nations, namely the United States and China. “The United States and China are the foremost powers in artificial intelligence, and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has appointed a ‘White House AI and Crypto Czar’ to ensure that the United States maintains its status as the wealthiest and most technologically advanced nation globally,” Putin remarked at the AI conference, as reported by local media.
Russia is encountering considerable obstacles in its pursuit to advance its AI sector, despite ongoing efforts. U.S. sanctions aimed at AI-related technologies, which also affect China, have restricted Russia’s access to vital components necessary for the expansion of its AI capabilities. Vedyakhin indicated that Russia lags behind the U.S. and China by approximately six to nine months, primarily due to Western sanctions that hinder its ability to enhance computing power. He stated to Reuters, “The sanctions were intended to restrict Russia’s computing capabilities, but we are striving to mitigate the deficit with our skilled scientists and engineers.”
In a contrasting approach, President-elect Donald Trump has expressed a strong commitment to AI and emerging technologies, pledging to eliminate what he describes as the previous administration’s “dangerous” regulations. In his manifesto, Trump asserted, “We will repeal Joe Biden’s dangerous Executive Order that obstructs AI innovation and imposes radical left-wing ideologies on the development of this technology.” In November, he appointed David Sacks, co-founder of PayPal, as the new “White House AI and Crypto Czar,” with the responsibility of shaping policies in these critical areas for American competitiveness.
Furthermore, Russia’s introduction of a new AI Alliance Network is poised to alter the competitive landscape in the AI sector, particularly in the rivalry with the U.S. and China. BRICS nations, including China, India, South Africa, and Brazil, may begin to collaborate by sharing resources and expertise to develop AI technologies that cater to their unique requirements and markets. If successful, this initiative could provide a means to partially circumvent the U.S. restrictions affecting both China and Russia, thereby enhancing their competitiveness. Concurrently, companies that currently depend on global supply chains may encounter increased complexity as new geopolitical tensions and divergent AI regulations arise.