Russia Strengthens AI Partnership with China Amid Western Sanctions

Russia intensifies cooperation with China to fight Western restrictions and bring global AI development to a new level.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told his government and Sberbank to work with China more on AI research and development. This move shows that Russia is shifting its focus to non-Western allies in new technologies like AI.

Wednesday, the Kremlin said that Putin told his staff to “ensure further cooperation with China” in the area of AI. This order comes soon after Russia promised to work with the BRICS countries to speed up AI development around the world.

Western sanctions have made it very hard for Russia to get important technologies like GPUs, which is a big problem for their AI goals. These microchips are important for AI progress, but they are still hard for Russia to get locally.

As late as 2023, German Gref, CEO of Sberbank, admitted that Russia’s biggest technology problem is replacing GPUs.

Aiming to Challenge U.S. AI Dominance

Russia wants to compete with the U.S. in AI, an area that is seen as very important for the 21st century, by working with China and other non-Western countries. The relationship shows that Moscow has changed its strategy to work with Beijing as it deals with being cut off from the rest of the world in terms of politics and technology.

Despite its efforts, Russia lags in global AI rankings, placing 31st in the Tortoise Media Global AI Index. This puts it far behind the United States, China, and even its BRICS counterparts like India and Brazil. However, Putin’s call for a new AI Alliance Network with BRICS countries could help close this gap.

Russia’s deepening AI ties with China highlight its ambition to overcome technological setbacks and establish itself as a global AI player. Whether this partnership can offset the challenges posed by Western sanctions remains to be seen, but it marks a critical step in Moscow’s quest for AI leadership.