MOSCOW, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Russia has the potential to

improve its position in global AI ratings by 2030 despite

Western sanctions thanks to talented developers and own

generative AI models, Alexander Vedyakhin, first deputy CEO of

Russia's largest lender Sberbank, told Reuters.

Sberbank is spearheading AI development in Russia, which

currently ranks 31st of 83 countries by AI implementation,

innovation and investment on UK-based Tortoise Media's Global AI

Index, well behind not only the United States and China but also

fellow BRICS members India and Brazil.

"I am confident that Russia can significantly improve its

current positions in international rankings by 2030 through its

own developments and supportive regulation in the field of

generative AI," Vedyakhin said in an interview.

Vedyakhin stressed that Russia is lagging the leaders the

United States and China by 6 to 9 months while Western sanctions

have limited the country's capacity to boost its computer power.

"The sanctions were aimed at limiting Russia's computing

power, but we are trying to compensate for the shortage with our

talented scientists and engineers," he said.

Vedyakhin said that Russia will not compete with the U.S.

and China in building giant data centres, but will focus on

development of smart AI models similar to Meta's Llama. He said

that Russian language generative AI models guaranteed

technological sovereignty.

"I believe that any country that sees itself as independent

on the world stage should have its own large language model,"

Vedyakhin said. Russia is among ten countries, which are

developing its own national generative AI models.

President Vladimir Putin said on Dec. 11 that Russia would

develop AI with BRICS partners and other countries, in a bid to

challenge the dominance of the United States in one of the most

promising technologies of the 21st century.

Vedyakhin said that China and especially Europe, were losing

their advantage in AI due to excessive regulation, expressing

hopes that the government will maintain AI-supportive regulation

in the future.

"If we deprive our scientists and major corporations of

the right to experiment now, it will halt the development of

technology. As soon as bans appear, we may start losing the AI

race in artificial intelligence," Vedyakhin said.

Many AI developers left Russia in recent years,

especially fleeing mobilisation drive for the Ukraine conflict

in 2022. Vedyakhin said some are now returning home, lured by

opportunities in Russia's AI sector.