According to a recent article from The Economist, Vladimir Putin is determined to close the gap with the West in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). This ambition was first expressed six years ago, long before the rise of ChatGPT, when Putin stated that the nation leading the way in AI development would ultimately dominate the world.
Putin’s desire to “head and lead” the AI revolution is driven by an ideological struggle with the West. He has raised concerns about the reliance on Western AI models, particularly those trained on English-language data, which he believes could undermine Russia’s global perspective if left unchallenged. This has led to the banning of ChatGPT in Russia and the development of alternative AI technologies by Russian companies.
One such example is Sber, a state-controlled lender with a focus on AI development, which launched GigaChat, a chatbot capable of generating computer code and images while communicating in Russian. Additionally, Yandex, Russia’s leading search engine, has incorporated an LLM called YandexGPT-2 into its virtual assistant service, known as “Alice”.
Putin’s determination to compete in the AI race reflects a broader effort to maintain control over the Russian internet and counter the influence of Western technology. As AI continues to shape the future of global power dynamics, Putin’s ambitions in this field will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications.