Minister Claims AI Could Substitute for Half of Russia's Civil Servants
According to Maksut Shadaev, technology has the potential to enhance government efficiency. During a recent panel discussion at the Data Fusion forum, Russia's Digital Development Minister, Maksut Shadaev, suggested that artificial intelligence...
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According to Maksut Shadaev, technology has the potential to enhance government efficiency.
During a recent panel discussion at the Data Fusion forum, Russia's Digital Development Minister, Maksut Shadaev, suggested that artificial intelligence could potentially replace at least half of the nation's civil servants.
“I believe AI can certainly replace half of public servants, possibly even more,” he stated, while acknowledging that certain professions, such as doctors and teachers, are irreplaceable.
Setting its sights on becoming a global leader in AI technology, Russia aims to excel in both creation and implementation across various sectors. In December, President Vladimir Putin emphasized the need for the country to be “a leader not only in creation, but also the scale of implementation, introduction of artificial intelligence in every single sphere of our lives.” He also commended the effective application of a domestically developed generative model that analyzed millions of questions submitted during his recent annual Q&A session.
Shadaev further elaborated on the ministry’s initiatives focused on managing citizen data, improving public access to government services, and allowing businesses to verify CVs against official data—all while protecting personal privacy.
Government reports indicate that Russia has more than 3 million public servants working across governance, security, and social services. The Finance Ministry estimated in 2019 that there are over 160 public servants for every 10,000 citizens.
In October, Putin directed the federal government to evaluate staffing requirements within various agencies, suggesting that streamlining could result in a 10% reduction in personnel. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov mentioned last year that his department supports optimizing tax-funded labor to enhance efficiency, enabling fewer workers to receive higher wages.
Jessica Kline contributed to this article for TROIB News
During a recent panel discussion at the Data Fusion forum, Russia's Digital Development Minister, Maksut Shadaev, suggested that artificial intelligence could potentially replace at least half of the nation's civil servants.
“I believe AI can certainly replace half of public servants, possibly even more,” he stated, while acknowledging that certain professions, such as doctors and teachers, are irreplaceable.
Setting its sights on becoming a global leader in AI technology, Russia aims to excel in both creation and implementation across various sectors. In December, President Vladimir Putin emphasized the need for the country to be “a leader not only in creation, but also the scale of implementation, introduction of artificial intelligence in every single sphere of our lives.” He also commended the effective application of a domestically developed generative model that analyzed millions of questions submitted during his recent annual Q&A session.
Shadaev further elaborated on the ministry’s initiatives focused on managing citizen data, improving public access to government services, and allowing businesses to verify CVs against official data—all while protecting personal privacy.
Government reports indicate that Russia has more than 3 million public servants working across governance, security, and social services. The Finance Ministry estimated in 2019 that there are over 160 public servants for every 10,000 citizens.
In October, Putin directed the federal government to evaluate staffing requirements within various agencies, suggesting that streamlining could result in a 10% reduction in personnel. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov mentioned last year that his department supports optimizing tax-funded labor to enhance efficiency, enabling fewer workers to receive higher wages.
Jessica Kline contributed to this article for TROIB News
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