In a strategic move, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian government and Sberbank, the country’s main state bank, to collaborate with China in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
According to a statement published on the Kremlin website, this collaboration seeks strengthen Russian technological capabilitiess in a context marked by geopolitical tensions and growing rivalry with the United States in this field.
Putin’s instructions highlight the need to “ensure greater cooperation with the People’s Republic of China in research and technological development in the field of artificial intelligence”. This call reflects Moscow’s interest in taking advantage of the experience of China, one of the world’s leading powers in AI, to overcome the limitations imposed by Western sanctions and advance in key areas such as military and technological innovation.
China, which ranks second on Tortoise Media’s Global AI Index, could offer Russia, which is ranked 31st out of 83 countriesthe support necessary to develop advanced technologies, including AI powered weapons. This collaboration not only strengthens the relationship between both countries, but also underlines the global competition to lead in AI developmentwhich promises to be a central pillar of politics, the economy and security in the coming years.
Russia and AI: challenges and ambitions
Russia’s advance in artificial intelligence has faced serious obstacles due to sanctions imposed by the West, which limit access to critical technologies such as microchips and graphics processing units (GPUs). In 2023, German Gref, CEO of Sberbank, acknowledged that this lack of access has slowed progress in the AI space.
Despite these difficulties, Russia has used AI on the battlefield during its war with Ukraine. According to the International Center for Defense and Security, Moscow has applied these technologies in anti-drone devices, military training, cyber warfare, and operations with unmanned systems.. Additionally, the Center for a New American Security notes that Russia is also exploring the use of AI in information and cyber operations, with a clear focus on the war effort.
Russia and China collaborating on AI development could lead to deployment of “killer robots” at some point in the warsomething that worries Western powers, especially the US, which leads innovation in AI globally.
