The Prime Minister spoke at the plenary session of the Digital Almaty 2025 forum on Industrial AI: Technologies for a New Era.
Mikhail Mishustin and the heads of delegations participating in the forum, viewing an exhibition of digital projects
Mikhail Mishustin and the heads of delegations participating in the forum, viewing an exhibition of digital projects
Mikhail Mishustin and the heads of delegations participating in the forum, viewing an exhibition of digital projects
Mikhail Mishustin and the heads of delegations participating in the forum, viewing an exhibition of digital projects
Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov
Mikhail Mishustin with First Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Reza Aref ahead of the Digital Almaty 2025 international digital forum
Mikhail Mishustin spoke at the plenary session of the Digital Almaty 2025 forum on Industrial AI: Technologies for a New Era
Mikhail Mishustin spoke at the plenary session of the Digital Almaty 2025 forum on Industrial AI: Technologies for a New Era
Mikhail Mishustin spoke at the plenary session of the Digital Almaty 2025 forum on Industrial AI: Technologies for a New Era
Mikhail Mishustin and the heads of delegations participating in the forum, viewing an exhibition of digital projects
Prior to the plenary session, Mikhail Mishustin, alongside the heads of delegations participating in the forum, toured an exhibition of digital projects.
The annual international digital forum Digital Almaty has been held since 2018 and stands as a premier event within the CIS focused on innovative technologies. It brings together representatives from business, the IT sector, government bodies, international experts, and media outlets.
The forum’s objective is to foster dialogue at global and regional levels, as well as to facilitate the exchange of expertise in digital transformation. Key areas of emphasis include the development of human capital and creative industries, the application of robotic technologies, and the digitalisation of industry, healthcare, and education.
Mikhail Mishustin’s remarks at the plenary session:
Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to welcome all the participants of this forum. I have long made participating in this event a good tradition.
I would also like to sincerely thank President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the country’s Prime Minister, Olzhas Bektenov, for holding an excellently organised event.
The matters discussed here are more relevant than ever. Today, the development of states and economies depends on the degree of penetration of modern tech solutions, primarily digital technologies and AI-enabled systems, as every speaker pointed out here. Ultimately, this defines the quality of life of the population.
An uncompromising technology race is underway, and this is what is going to shape the future world. At the same time, disagreements becoming more and more apparent when it comes to building the global digital architecture. There are different approaches to addressing such issues as bridging of the digital gap, equal access to innovations, the ethical aspects of using artificial intelligence and, in general, to building comprehensive national security systems in the new technological conditions.
The world digital architecture of the future will be based on what we see as five important components.
First, data – we have discussed this at length – that are, in effect, the oil and the platinum of the 21st century. They are created by numerous devices, highly sensitive transducers and sensors. They help to create virtual models of processes or plants, to forecast, and what is highly important – to optimise and streamline their performance.
It is also essential to have reliable data collection and transmission networks operating in real time, and, as a consequence, next-generation land and satellite communications systems capable of ensuring global coverage with high-speed internet services.
The data handling and storage infrastructure has an important role to play as well. It should develop with the use of domestically-made highly productive computation capacities built upon home-produced components.
It is hard to visualise the future if it lacks cloud software platforms, large language models, algorithms, and neural networks.
Comprehensive cyber security systems are yet another component guaranteeing immunity to attacks and protection of critical information infrastructure.
It is only the possession of their own R&D in all these areas that will enable our states to develop dynamically, strengthen their national economies, improve the living standards of our citizens and compete. It is important to be independent of someone else’s technological solutions.
We in Russia are focusing on these issues and are ready to share our best practices. Over the past five years, the Russian IT sector’s contribution to the GDP has increased by 70 percent, exceeding 2.2 percent at the end of last year. The industry employs over one million people.
We are forming a national internet-of-things infrastructure at an accelerated rate. There are millions of functioning clever sensors and metering devices that transmit data in online mode.
Russia has developed a modern telecommunications industry. When expanding network infrastructure to connect households and social facilities to the internet, primarily domestically produced telecom equipment and optical cables were used.
Over the past five years, the capacity of commercial data centres has nearly doubled, even as their current utilisation exceeds 90 percent.
Additionally, more than half of the heavy server equipment and industrial data storage and processing systems supplied for data centres are now manufactured in Russia.
Enterprises in key industries are actively integrating domestic software to optimise production and management processes. Currently, there are over 35 industrial competence centres dedicated to replacing foreign software products – this number continues to grow with the establishment of new centres. Additionally, more than 10 competence centres focus on developing technological solutions.
I would like to take this opportunity to invite all of you to this year’s Digital Industry of Industrial Russia (CIPR) conference in Nizhny Novgorod. Official invitations will be sent out soon.
The development of artificial intelligence technologies continues to advance, as my colleagues have already discussed in detail. Russia now has two of its own large language models, well known to industry professionals. More importantly, dedicated clusters for specialised AI computing are being established.
Colleagues, the market for digital platforms and marketplaces has grown by 40 percent over the past year. We have developed our own search engines, social networks, aggregators, e-commerce platforms, accessible streaming and educational services, as well as user-friendly applications for delivery and taxi services. Many of these are not only widely used within our union but also in global markets.
Moreover, we have achieved a high level of digitalisation in public administration. State programmes, national projects, and budget planning and execution at all levels are conducted electronically. The Electronic Budget system has been fully implemented across all federal executive bodies.
The Social Treasury has significantly streamlined interactions between citizens and government agencies, making them as simple and accessible as possible.
A vast number of support measures are now provided proactively.
Every day, over 10 million people use the public services portal. Similar to the applications demonstrated by our Kazakh colleagues, Russian citizens can enrol their children in kindergarten or school, submit documents to universities, schedule medical appointments, and obtain various permits and licenses, all online. This level of digital convenience has become standard in Russia.
At the same time, we place a strong emphasis on cybersecurity. Over the past five years, the Russian market for cybersecurity solutions and services has more than doubled.
In accordance with the President’s instructions, we have commenced the implementation of a national project to establish a data economy. The objective is to ensure that investments in Russian IT solutions grow at a rate no less than twice that of the overall economy. Moving forward, we will incentivise the production and adoption of cutting-edge innovations while implementing measures to boost demand for domestically developed software solutions. Within five years, 80 percent of Russian enterprises are expected to head over to these platforms. These are the targets we have set.
Regarding the advancement of the internet of things, we will scale up the mass production and deployment of automated traffic management systems (excellent examples of such solutions were showcased here today at Almaty Digital), as well as systems for real-time environmental monitoring, weather and climate tracking, and the provision of utility services.
We will also enhance the development of unmanned civil aviation systems under the existing national project. Additionally, route networks for unmanned cargo transportation will be significantly expanded.
A key priority remains the development of advanced satellite constellations and systems capable of delivering next-level services.
Next year, four communication satellites are scheduled for deployment into a highly elliptical orbit. These will provide broadband internet access across the entire territory of the Russian Federation, including the Arctic zone.
The following year will see the establishment of a foundation for our own low-orbit satellite constellation. Ultimately, approximately 300 satellites will operate within this network, meeting not only Russia’s demands but also of all nations within the union for affordable, high-speed, and critically, reliable internet connectivity.
It is vital that we pursue these advancements using domestically developed technologies and components.
We have also set other – I mean strategic – objectives to expand the production of equipment for microelectronics manufacturing, enhance the capacity of Russian quantum computers, and extend the reach of quantum communication networks.
The realisation of these plans hinges on the availability of highly skilled personnel – a topic discussed extensively today.
Under the President’s instruction, we are expanding a network of world-class university campuses. Many of you, dear friends, visited the Bauman University during your stay in Moscow late last year and witnessed first-hand that its infrastructure rivals that of leading global institutions.
We are also establishing student technoparks, business incubators, educational and industrial clusters, and advanced engineering schools at Russian universities.
I am confident these initiatives will lay the groundwork for sustained, long-term growth in the sector for decades to come.
Colleagues, friends,
The Eurasian Economic Union enables us to build a brighter future for our citizens, particularly the younger generation, whom we see represented here at the forum. Achieving this requires collective efforts to strengthen technological sovereignty and, in doing so, shape a global digital architecture.
I am certain we are equal to this task. Let me conclude by thanking you for organising this exceptional event. Thank you.
