Russian blue chips including Gazprom Neft, Yandex, Mail.ru Group, Sberbank, MTS and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) have established the country’s first ever cross-industry alliance to develop artificial intelligence, under a Cooperation Agreement signed by senior management from these organisations at Eastern Europe’s biggest artificial intelligence (AI) forum, Artificial Intelligence Journey.

This cooperation between Russia’s leading technology companies is aimed at their achieving leading positions on global markets in AI, with the parties joining forces in developing technologies and working on developing AI-based products and services.

The AI-Russia Alliance will facilitate joint activities in simplifying the implementation of AI technologies, allowing companies to become involved in developing a regulatory framework for unmanned automotive and air transport as well as legislation governing commercial and personal data.

In addition to this the Alliance will begin coordinating the business community’s and scientific organisations’ activities in line with plans for implementing the National Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence.

A key area of the AI-Russia Alliance’s work will be developing a professional community of specialists and organisations in AI and in data analytics: one such initiative being the development of an educational programme to improve teachers’, PhD candidates’ and university students’ qualifications in AI.

«Developing and actively implementing AI technologies is one of the most urgent challenges facing the Russian economy. And the Alliance is well placed to become an effective instrument in addressing these, bringing together companies from various industries, already in possession of skills and competencies in artificial intelligence. We expect this to have a synergistic effect, opening up new opportunities for developing this technology in our country».

Alexander Dyukov Chairman of the Management Board, Gazprom Neft PJSC

«Artificial intelligence is a complex and multifaceted area, in which there’s still a great deal to learn and discover. Russia’s leading technology companies working together will make it possible to move towards innovation faster — because joining forces has always been what drives science forward».

Arkady Volozh CEO, Yandex Group of Companies

«This Alliance will allow all participants to share their knowledge and technologies in developing skills and competencies in artificial intelligence. This will increase opportunities for using AI technologies, in companies’ activities and those of the state, as a whole, helping to implement and promote the national strategy adopted by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the Government of the Russian Federation».

Herman Gref CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank

«AI technologies are integral to all our products, making it possible to develop breakthrough solutions and offer every user a unique, personalised experience. We have every confidence that the Alliance will become a powerful driver for the Russian technology market, and that the synergies created through a partnership among leading players will take the development of AI to a new level. As part of the Alliance we will be responsible for stimulating the implementation of use-cases and will be able to share success stories and B2B best practices in using digital technologies for business development».

Boris Dobrodeev CEO, Mail.ru Group

«Establishing the Alliance will make it possible to put the necessary infrastructure in place in Russia to develop AI-based technologies quickly. Important areas of the partnership will be the joint development of cohesive principles governing data usage, and pooling efforts to analyse prospects for implementing innovative solutions in Russia, as well as cooperating in educational projects for training a future talent pool. MTS is, already, successfully working on solutions for these issues, and is willing to share its expertise with the professional community in order to jointly develop breakthrough Russian technologies».

Alexey Kornya President, MTS PJSC

«The Government of the Russian Federation and the RDIF agreed to jointly develop the AI industry in September. The RDIF has already secured commitments from leading global investors to raise two billion dollars of investments in Russian companies involved in developing projects in AI. We are delighted that our partners in delivering such a major and complex project include Russia’s leading companies, with knowledge, competencies and expertise from the most diverse industries. Establishing the Alliance will make it possible to support the development of cutting-edge domestic developments in AI, ensure their access to the global market, and strengthen the position of Russian companies in one of the most competitive high-tech fields».

Kirill Dmitriev CEO, Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF)