Russia's Sberbank and China Plan Joint AI Research Following DeepSeek's Breakthrough

Russia-China AI Collaboration

Sberbank, Russia's largest bank, has announced plans to collaborate with Chinese researchers on joint artificial intelligence (AI) projects. This move comes in the wake of DeepSeek's recent breakthrough in creating a powerful AI model at a significantly lower cost compared to its U.S. counterparts 12.

Alexander Vedyakhin, Sberbank's First Deputy CEO, stated, "Sberbank has many scientists. Through them, we plan to conduct joint research projects with researchers from China" 1. This collaboration marks a significant step in the growing technological partnership between Russia and China.

DeepSeek's Impact on the AI Landscape

DeepSeek, a Hangzhou-based startup, has recently sent shockwaves through global markets with its low-cost AI models. Investors are betting that these models could potentially challenge the dominance of current U.S. leaders in the field, such as Nvidia 2. This development has sparked renewed interest in international AI collaborations, particularly between nations seeking to compete with U.S. technological supremacy.

Geopolitical Implications

The potential AI alliance between Russia and China carries significant geopolitical implications. Both countries are viewed by Washington as major nation-state threats to the West, and their collaboration in AI could further disrupt the global AI sector 2.

Russia and China have previously discussed AI cooperation, including potential military applications. However, the depth and scope of this cooperation have largely remained undisclosed to the public 2. The strengthening of scientific cooperation between the two countries aligns with their self-described "no limits" strategic partnership.

Sberbank's AI Ambitions

Under the leadership of CEO German Gref, Sberbank has transformed itself from a traditional Soviet-style state savings bank into one of Russia's leading players in artificial intelligence. The bank released its own AI model, GigaChat, in 2023, demonstrating its commitment to technological advancement 2.

Global AI Race

This collaboration comes amid an intensifying global race for AI dominance, primarily between China and the United States. China has set an ambitious goal to become the world's leader in AI by 2030 2. The partnership between Russian and Chinese researchers could potentially accelerate progress towards this goal and reshape the international AI landscape.

International Relations and Technology

The collaboration between Sberbank and Chinese researchers reflects the broader geopolitical dynamics at play. Western attempts to isolate Russia over the Ukraine conflict have pushed Moscow and Beijing closer together, with Russian President Vladimir Putin recently describing China as an "ally" 2.

Vedyakhin emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating, "China is a partner of Russia on many issues of the international agenda, and the level of scientific cooperation between our countries can be strengthened through collaboration between our scientists" 2.

As the AI sector continues to evolve rapidly, this Russia-China collaboration signals a potential shift in the global balance of technological power, with significant implications for international relations, economic competitiveness, and national security.