Kazan (UNA) – The President of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, confirmed that the republic has allocated 5 billion rubles for the systematic development of artificial intelligence, noting that three IT parks house more than a thousand resident companies, while 343 high-tech companies are active in the Innopolis Special Economic Zone.
This came during the plenary session of the Kazan Digital Week 2026 forum, which discussed the development of local digital platforms, digital development priorities, and emerging challenges, including artificial intelligence and cyber threats. Participants emphasized the need to develop protection systems in parallel with advancements in digital technologies.
Russian Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Maksut Shadayev said that Russia is ready to offer its digital platforms to foreign partners, including social networks, messaging applications and video services, as well as developing and adapting artificial intelligence models to comply with the legislation and cultural specificities of other countries.
One example of such a platform is the messaging app "MAX". VK CEO Vladimir Kiriyenko explained that the app had 140 million users in a single year, including foreign users, and that approximately 16.5 million channels had been created, along with the launch of a digital identity service that incorporates artificial intelligence models.
Kazan Digital Week, which launched its first edition in 2020, is one of the leading regional platforms for discussing digital transformation. This year's event will take place in Kazan from October 29 to 31, with the participation of 19 people from 70 countries. The forum's program includes ten tracks and more than one hundred sessions, covering topics such as public administration, education, healthcare, the agro-industrial complex, finance, culture, and cybersecurity.
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