The Future of Artificial Intelligence. An Expert Discussion

On February 13, 2025, the Valdai Discussion Club hosted an expert discussion dedicated to the future of artificial intelligence. In an era when artificial intelligence (AI) is experiencing rapid development, a tense struggle for technological leadership is unfolding between the United States and China. This race will not only determine the future of technology, but also seriously affects the global balance of power. A striking example of Chinese success is the DeepSeek project, which has demonstrated impressive achievements in the creation of intelligent systems. DeepSeek has become a symbol of how China is not only catching up, but also starting to overtake traditional leaders in the field of AI, despite the imposed restrictions on the purchase of advanced chips. Different countries are using various strategies to strengthen their positions in the field of AI, but the key factors for success remain investment in research, access to data, attracting talent, and government support. What is Russia’s potential in developing its own AI models? How does the race for leadership in this area affect the global economy and international relations? Can cooperation between countries become a key to the sustainable development of AI, or is competition inevitable? The participants of the discussion tried to answer these and other questions. Speakers: Ruslan Yunusov, Co-Founder of the Russian Quantum Centre Ilya Semerikov, Head of the Research Group, Russian Quantum Centre Misa Djurkovic, Principal Research Fellow, Institute of European Studies (Serbia) Alexander Ulanov, Vice-Rector for Development, Innovation and Digitalization, Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Xue Ying, Research Fellow of Xinhua Institute Moderator: Anton Bespalov, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club.