Russian President Vladimir Putin has initiated a strategic partnership with China in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), a move announced through a Kremlin post on December 30. This collaboration reflects Russia's ongoing efforts to find technological alternatives in the wake of extensive Western sanctions imposed following its invasion of Ukraine.
In his directive, Putin instructed the Russian government, alongside the nation's leading banking institution, Sberbank, to bolster cooperation with China by engaging in technological research and development focused on AI. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Sberbank CEO German Gref have been tasked with spearheading this initiative, with an initial progress report expected by April.
The need for this partnership stems from a broader context where, since the invasion of Ukraine over 34 months ago, Russia has faced significant limitations on its access to a range of technologies due to punitive measures from Western nations. These sanctions have particularly hindered Russia's ability to obtain financial payment technologies, driving the country to explore alternatives, including parallel imports and domestic substitutes.
As part of its strategy to adapt to these economic restrictions, Russia has also been working to establish alternative frameworks for processing payment transactions and transporting sanctioned oil to global markets. However, the quest for viable tech alternatives has proven to be challenging. A former senior Russian finance official noted to Reuters in September 2022 that the country is likely to rely on "second-grade tech" for the foreseeable future and will expend considerable resources trying to recreate existing technologies. The sanctions have severely affected sectors such as semiconductor chips, aviation parts, and medical supplies, all of which have become increasingly difficult to procure due to stringent export controls, particularly from the United States.
Gref has highlighted the difficulty in finding substitutes for high-performance tech necessary for AI and supercomputers, specifically pointing to graphics cards as a critical area of concern. Alexander Vedyakhin, Sberbank's first deputy CEO, recently stated that Russia is currently lagging six to nine months behind the US and China in several AI-related specifications. Vedyakhin commented that the focus will be on the development of large language models as opposed to constructing extensive data centres.
The partnership between Russia and China in AI raises further considerations. China's engagement with technology has been scrutinized for its implications on censorship and information control. A report by the Financial Times in July noted that Chinese authorities have evaluated large language models to ensure they align with "core socialist values,” reflecting the ongoing challenges related to freedom of expression within the country. As Russia seeks to deepen its technological ties with China, these aspects may come under increasing observation, particularly in the context of balancing the need for innovation with broader social implications.
Source: Noah Wire Services