According to instructions published on the Kremlin web portal on New Year’s Day, Putin has directed the Russian Government, especially the state-owned bank Sberbank, to cooperate with China on artificial intelligence (AI) Technology.
Russia’s partnership with China has assisted Russia in gaining access to specific technology and equipment that the Western countries have sanctioned after the Russia-Ukrain Conflict.
Putin asked the Government and Sberbank to “ensure further cooperation with Beijing in technological R&D in the field of artificial intelligence.”
Notably, the task of spearheading Russia’s effort in AI les with Sberbank and Putin is pushing it further to be in an AI race.
Unilateral economic sanctions from Western countries have severely affected Russia’s ability to make strides in AI technologies. Microchips are the backbone of AI technologies, but the major producers of microchips do not ship the product to Russia. Russia relies on third-party sellers from different countries to procure its microchips, but this did not match the required amount.
In 2023, Sberbank CEO German Gref mentioned that the requirement for graphics processing units (GPUs) and microchips for AI development has been difficult for Russia to replace.
Russia, under the leadership of Putin, is trying hard to cooperate and collaborate with the BRICS nations to develop an alternative AI alliance network to defy the sanctions and single hegemony of Western Nations. He also mentioned his desire on December 11.
According to Sberbank, AI associations from Brazil, China, India, and South Africa had already joined the network.
Recently, BRICS+ nations have been projected as a counterbalance to Western multilateral institutions.
Since the broke of war in Europe, the ties between these two great powers have deepened, and Russia has been pushed into the lap of China by Western sanctions.
Despite the regular denial of Chinese help in the war, their defence and military cooperation has risen to the highest level.
Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged New Year greetings with Putin on December 31, saying, “The political mutual trust and strategic coordination between the two sides have continuously marched to a higher level under the strategic guidance of the two leaders.”
