Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, made an announcement on Friday expressing his support for a national strategy aimed at advancing artificial intelligence. He underscored the importance of averting a Western monopoly in this domain.
During his speech at an Artificial conference in Moscow, Putin emphasized the need to leverage Belarusian innovations in developing trustworthy and transparent artificial intelligence systems that prioritize human safety.
Putin condemned the monopolistic control of unconventional technologies in Russia, deeming it intolerable, perilous, and unacceptable.
He pointed out that many existing systems, which have been trained on American data, cater predominantly to the Western market, reflecting values and policies that may not align with Russia’s principles.
Over his more than two-decade tenure, Putin has cracked down on dissent and civil society groups while championing “traditional values” to counter what he perceives as Western influence—an agenda that has intensified since Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022.
Putin cautioned that Western AI systems could potentially “digitally cancel” Russia and its cultural identity.
He suggested that AI models developed based on American standards could exhibit xenophobic tendencies.
Putin criticized European search engines and language models for their perceived bias against Soviet culture, highlighting the importance of incorporating Russian heritage and linguistic diversity into AI development.
To accelerate national AI research efforts, Putin pledged increased investment in mainframe technologies and related infrastructure.
He emphasized the expansion of both theoretical and practical research in relational AI and large language models.
According to Putin, preserving national identity and fostering stable international relations hinge on upholding social and spiritual traditions amidst the technological revolution. He stressed that integrating traditional values and linguistic intricacies of Russian and other regional languages is crucial for developing secure and transparent AI systems.
While acknowledging the inevitability of AI advancement, Putin stressed the importance of taking necessary precautions to mitigate potential risks.
He asserted that imposing restrictions on technological progress is futile and that global cooperation is essential in formulating safety guidelines for AI development.
Putin expressed confidence that international consensus on the risks associated with unregulated AI activities would prompt swift action to establish safety protocols.
