HSE’S Achievements in AI Presented at AIJ
The AI Journey international conference hosted a session led by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko highlighting the achievements of Russian research centres in artificial intelligence. Alexey Masyutin, Head of the HSE AI Research Centre, showcased the centre’s key developments.
In his speech, Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasised that supporting research and development to ensure AI's advanced growth is a primary goal outlined in Russia's National AI Development Strategy, approved by the president and set to run until 2030. ‘Our president emphasised that Russia must become a global leader not only in AI creation but also in its widespread application across all areas of life,’ the deputy prime minister stated.
Government-supported AI research centres play a critical role in achieving this goal. The three-year cycle of six ‘first-wave’ research centres concludes in 2024. Dmitry Chernyshenko highlighted HSE University as a key AI competency centre alongside Moscow State University, Skoltech, Innopolis, and others. At the pitch session, Alexey Masyutin presented the HSE AI Research Centre's results from 2021 to 2024.
Alexey Masyutin
Alexey Masyutin emphasised the importance of the centre's three-year work cycle and highlighted its significant achievements: ‘In 2021, we started in partnership with three companies from fintech, telecom, and IT—industries with traditionally high levels of AI adoption. By 2024, we expanded our list of industrial partners, developing solutions for companies in tourism (where AI adoption is just beginning), as well as transportation safety and manufacturing. We build our AI solutions based on fundamental research, evidenced by our staff’s publications in A* conferences. Looking ahead, we anticipate progress in two areas: scaling existing approaches across various economic sectors and working on ground-breaking methods, such as multi-agent systems interacting with accumulated knowledge bases, aligning with Russia's AI development goals. I am confident that in the future, the HSE AI Research Centre will continue to make a significant contribution to achieving the National AI Development Strategy’s objectives.’
Tatyana Soyuznova
Dmitry Chernyshenko announced a new flagship research centre selection process for 2025. These centres will focus on developing and adapting large foundational models for economic applications, creating conditions for strong AI, and making AI technologies more accessible for everyday use. A newly established Project Office for AI Science, ‘SAPFIR,’ will oversee these efforts. Tatyana Soyuznova, Deputy Managing Director of Expertise and Financial Support at the Skolkovo Foundation, stated: ‘Our goal is to make AI science in Russia understandable, effective, and attractive to everyone.’
In his speech, Dmitry Chernyshenko shared that the HSE Faculty of Computer Science’s Continuing Education Centre, commissioned by the AI Alliance Russia, has developed a benchmark continuing professional programme in AI—'Introduction to Artificial Intelligence for Executives.’ The course is designed for executives tasked with implementing AI-based solutions. The programme includes an introduction to the principles of AI and generative models, along with case studies and existing solutions. A number of executives from federal and regional government bodies have already completed the training.
HSE researchers actively participated in the conference programme:
— Ivan Arzhantsev, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science, presented a report ‘Open Code Cryptography and AI.’
— Alexey Naumov, Director for Basic Research at the AI and Digital Science Institute and Head of the International Laboratory of Stochastic Algorithms and High-Dimensional Inference, presented a report ‘Group and Mix: Efficient, Structured Orthogonal Parameterisation.’
— Vladimir Spokoiny, Chief Research Fellow at the International Laboratory of Stochastic Algorithms and High-Dimensional Inference, discussed ‘Theoretical Foundations of AI Methods.’
— Igor Chernitsin, Research Assistant at the Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Empirical Studies (Perm), talked about a spatial forecasting system for air pollutants developed at the AI Research Centre during the session ‘Climate. There Is Only One Earth.’
— Maria Chumakova, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Anastasia Ugleva, Deputy Director of the Centre for Transfer and Management of Socio-Economic Information, participated in the session ‘Ethics: AI White Book.’
Archived streams of AIJ 2024 are available on the conference’s official website.