RUSSIAN AI PLANS

01. 09. 2023

INTRODUCTION

The government of Russia maintains a clear position regarding the fact that progress in the field of AI provides unlimited opportunities in competition with the leaders of the technology world – the US and China [1]. 

Compared to these countries, Russia is currently a deep outsider according to analyses of the global application of AI. At the same time, russia seeks to take advantage of the development of AI technologies, especially in the military sphere, and at the same time protects its domestic market while maintaining technological sovereignty from other countries of the world [2].

There are many reasons for Russia’s lagging behind in the field of AI technologies, including insufficient financial resources, lack of specialists, complete isolation from cooperation with the international scientific community, weak integration with the requirements of international law, and political oppression of private technology companies by the government.

However, according to internal measures, russia invests significant financial resources in the development of AI technologies, introduces its own AI strategies and roadmaps, continues military development in the field of lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS), and uses AI for disinformation in information wars.

RUSSIAN AI STRATEGY

In October 2019 after a long preposition work, russia adopted the National Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence Through 2030 [3] (AI National Strategy). The AI National Strategy highlights two key milestones that characterize the evolution of AI in Russia: the year 2024, set as a target for substantial advancement in the field, and the year 2030, marked as the point at which russia aims to bridge the gap with developed nations and establish global leadership in specific AI-related areas. 

Russia’s AI development strategy was prepared by the state-owned bank Sber along with the internet giants Yandex and Mail.ru Group and also with Gazprom Neft energy company[4]. The National Strategy detailed the overarching plan of the Russian government to enhance the share of the global AI market from 0.2 percent in 2018 to 1.8 percent by 2024 [5].

In pursuit of the goals outlined in the AI National Strategy, Sber formulated a policy document for the AI Federal Project, which incorporated specific performance benchmarks and funding figures in addition to the objectives specified in the AI National Strategy. Originally, the project had a funding requirement of 90.5 billion rubles (($1.17 billion)) allocated from federal sources up until the year 2024 [6], but when it was approved in August 2020, federal funding had dropped to 29.4 billion rubles through 2024 [7]. In September 2020, the government reduced funding for the AI Federal Project to just 16.5 billion rubles ($217 million) in 2021-2023 [8].

The Russian government allocates considerable funding to AI projects, especially to the application of AI within the military industry, an area where Russia traditionally exhibits strength. However, it is improbable that Russia will attain a leading position in AI development as outlined in its AI National Strategy. This is due to its current lag behind leading technological nations and the presence of other factors, such as a relatively small venture capital investment market [9].

In addition to issuing significant strategic policy documents like the AI National Strategy and AI Federal Project, Russian authorities have undertaken further measures to enhance the AI landscape in the country. Beginning January 2021 and for free years, the introduction of “regulatory sandboxes” or experimental legal frameworks was planned for technologies encompassed by the Digital Technologies Federal Project [10], but in 2022 they were available only for the introduction of unmanned vehicles in Russia [11]. 

The government also seeks to stimulate cooperation between russia’s private tech firms. In November 2019, the AI-Russia Alliance was created with the supervision of the Economy Ministry [12]. The established entity has the intended purpose of advocating for streamlined procedures in the adoption of AI technologies. Additionally, its role encompasses encouraging business involvement in two specific domains: the advancement of autonomous transportation and the formulation of legislation pertaining to both industrial and personal data. Participants in the alliance include Yandex, Mail.ru, Gazprom Neft, MTS, Sberbank, and the Russian Direct Investment Fund, but little visible cooperation has occurred. 

In May 2022, in Russia a unified body for the development of ethical regulation of AI technologies was created – the AI Ethics Commission. The Commission is a coordinating body that ensures the interaction of russian developers in the field of AI, leading scientific and educational institutions, representatives of development institutions, non-profit organizations and civil society [13]. 

In September 2022, The National Center for the Development of Artificial Intelligence began operating under the Russian Government. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko noted that the center will become one of the tools for implementing the National Strategy for the Development of AI, approved by president, as well as the activities of the federal project “Artificial Intelligence” of the national program “Digital Economy”. According to the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russia AI implementation rate in certain sectors of the Russian economy as of August 2022 reached 20%, and by 2024 it should be at least 50%. At the same time, Russian business is actively implementing projects using AI technologies [14].

In January 2023, to accelerate key changes to national projects and state programs that provide for the introduction of AI an agreement on a detailed roadmap for the development of AI was signed between the russian government and businesses. The roadmap consists of 65 AI project products that will be developed mostly by Russian companies. The Russian government has designated to curate these AI initiatives in both the public sector and various industries to the Higher School of Economics [15].

Furthermore, there are government initiatives in place to establish a grant system, implement fresh educational programs focused on AI, and integrate AI training courses into the school syllabus. This concerted effort aims to elevate the count of russian research papers presented at prominent AI conferences from 30 in 2018 to a projected 500 by 2030. Simultaneously, the anticipated growth in AI experts nurtured through higher education and ongoing learning programs is substantial, anticipated to rise from 650 to 6,000 within the same timeframe [16].

In russia, a draft law aimed at regulating the use of AI is under development to update the norms that already exist, to label content, and also to determine responsibility for the use of AI for illegal purposes [17]. In russia, the regulation of AI is likely to follow the path of centralization of the management of neural networks in the hands of the state and large state corporations [18].

ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT OF AI IN RUSSIA

Russia’s ranking in the AI technology race is not high. For example, the Government Artificial Intelligence Readiness Index 2022 from Oxford Insights ranked russia 40th out of 181 in terms of government readiness to use the potential of AI [19]. In The Global AI Index 2023, russia is ranked 30th out of 62 in terms of investment and 7th in terms of regulation and public perception of AI [20]. Russia’s standing in the Autonomous Vehicles Readiness Index 2020 is relatively low, at 26 out of 30 [21]. However, the level of development of AI in Russia is better demonstrated by certain indicators of technological development related to AI. When it comes to specific indicators of AI-related technologies, russia possesses merely three supercomputers that are listed among the top 500 most powerful computers globally [22].

Russia has chosen not to directly lead initiatives in the field of AI. Instead, it has delegated the responsibility of planning and executing AI strategies to state-owned companies. Consequently, the development of AI in Russia is being managed by the state-owned bank Sber, which is leading the efforts to formulate plans for government-supported investments in AI.  

Presently, there are only 384 startups in Russia that are centered around AI [23]. The country’s largest technology company, Yandex, is not playing a prominent role in national AI initiatives due to its complex relationship with the government. From this, it can be deduced that the main driving force behind the progress of AI technologies in russia is primarily of a commercial nature, championed by major IT corporations, rather than smaller startup ventures.

Given the relatively limited opportunities for education in AI and a scarcity of cutting-edge academic research, Russian companies and government agencies face challenges in sourcing well-qualified and experienced personnel for AI research and development.

In terms of hardware, Russia will continue to rely on semiconductor equipment from the United States, Taiwan, and South Korea to execute AI algorithms. This reliance is due to the fact that the russian electronics industry is small and predominantly focused on producing specific military-related items, rather than general consumer products [24].

RUSSIAN MILITARY AI TECHNOLOGIES

At the international level, russia confronts the prohibition of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) and the military utilization of AI [25].

Russia’s military is trying to replace older weapons systems with “modern ones, including those based on digital technology and artificial intelligence” [26]. In Russia, efforts are in progress to outfit modern weapons and equipment with electronic control systems. Some prototypes of “intelligent machines” have already been integrated into the russian military. For instance, on March, 2018, Russia announced the development of an unmanned deep-sea vehicle that can carry nuclear weapons [27]. Also during exercises in 2021, ground-based “drones” named Uran-9, armed with a combination of a cannon, machine gun, anti-tank missiles, and a flamethrower, were effectively employed. Additionally, the Nerekhta robotic system also demonstrated its capabilities by successfully hitting targets. These machines were operated in real-time by operators stationed 1.5 km away. Given these advancements, it was a logical step that a new division called the Main Directorate of Innovative Development was established within the Russian Ministry of Defense in August 2022. Among its primary responsibilities is the integration of high-tech products into military and specialized applications in support of defense objectives. According to prominent Russian media sources, by no later than 2035, the Russian military aims to transition towards developing entirely autonomous drones and groups of military systems [28].

In the war in Ukraine many new technologies are being used for the first time on the battlefield. Russia is striving to show its military as contemporary and innovative by asserting its utilization of more advanced AI weaponry. But the Ukrainian military has gained considerable media attention for skillfully harnessing emerging technologies such as facial recognition, open-source satellite imagery, drones, and munitions designed for loitering. In contrast, Russia has faced very public logistical challenges and has struggled to effectively exploit emerging technologies to the same degree as Ukraine. Given Ukraine’s notable success in information and social media warfare, it’s unsurprising that russia has started making exaggerated and unverifiable claims regarding its possession of advanced AI military capabilities [29].

CONCLUSION

The Russian strategy for AI development sets it apart from similar efforts in other countries.

Unlike other countries where government or private corporations are leading, Russia’s driving force is solely publicly funded enterprises, with Sber taking the lead among them.

The involvement of the largest Russian private tech firm, Yandex, in AI development is considered minimal.

The resources that Russia is investing in the field of AI technologies are significant only by domestic measures but will not allow it to become a significant participant of this market.

Presently, in Russia, the preparation of a special legislative act on the regulation of the use of AI technologies is only being announced and is likely to follow the path of centralization of the management of neural networks in the hands of the state and large state corporations.

Best regards,

The Team at WiseRegulation.org Think Tank

 

SOURCES:

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