On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued an order, formally establishing a national-level special task force dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI). This step elevates AI technology to a strategic level tied to "national sovereignty." The initiative is geared towards consolidating the nation's computing power resources, refining the industrial landscape, and expediting the development of a local technology ecosystem that operates independently of Western influence. This is in reaction to the technological embargo brought about by international sanctions.

Based on the roadmap unveiled by the Kremlin, Russia intends to boost the output value of its AI industry to more than 11 trillion rubles (roughly equivalent to US$136 billion) by 2030. To tackle the energy consumption challenges associated with data centers, Putin declared that 38 new nuclear power units will be constructed in the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East over the forthcoming two decades. These units will supply the necessary power to support the computing infrastructure.

At the "AI Journey 2025" conference, Putin underscored the significance of large language models as pivotal instruments for shaping public opinion. He pointed out that dependence on foreign core algorithms could jeopardize national security. Consequently, he mandated that critical models must undergo full supervision by local experts. This is to guarantee autonomy and controllability, spanning from the training data stage all the way to the final product.