In Tyumen, a Digital Avatar Will Support Orphaned Children
Specialists in the Tyumen region have introduced a digital avatar designed to support orphaned children and foster families. If successful, the model could serve as a blueprint for other regions and even beyond Russia’s borders.
A Local Initiative with Global Implications
During the ‘Infotech-2025’ forum in Tyumen, regional developers unveiled a digital consultant-avatar aimed at assisting orphans, foster families, and potential guardians. The project was developed by the Tyumen Regional Department of Informatization and the OKAS company (Association of Cognitive Associative Systems) with support from the regional Family Center and Department of Social Development.
The avatar’s prototype is based on a real adopted girl — her story and voice formed the basis for the digital consultant. The avatar is already offering guidance to children and teenagers via both desktop and mobile platforms, featuring an intuitive and accessible interface. This initiative demonstrates how IT tools can be integrated into the social sphere, enhancing child welfare services and promoting accessibility.
While currently regional in scope, the system has the potential for federal rollout, contributing to Russia’s broader GovTech strategy and serving as a real-world example of how AI-driven avatars can be used in social care.
Toward a Unified Platform for Social Support
If the pilot proves successful, the project could be scaled across other regions, evolving into a unified national platform of AI-driven consultants for various groups — orphans, families, pensioners, and more. Integration with state service portals and regional support systems is already being discussed.
Future versions could include multilingual support, voice recognition, AI chatbots, and predictive analytics for personalized counseling. If the underlying technology meets quality and security standards, it could be adapted for export to other nations, particularly within the CIS, where similar social challenges exist. However, as with any GovTech system dealing with minors, strong safeguards for data privacy and ethical use are essential. Developers emphasize the need for adaptive content based on age and context, along with continuous performance evaluation.
A successful demonstration could attract federal funding and serve as a model for international cooperation in digital social governance.
Aligned with Global and National Trends
Russia has already pioneered several projects bridging technology and social support. One example is ‘Generation M,’ a nationwide digital charity program that expands children’s access to creative education. Another is the ‘Digital Equality Integrated Social Programme,’ developed by Rostelecom and partners to provide quality online learning for orphans and foster children. Tyumen’s avatar initiative extends this digital inclusion agenda by focusing on psychological and emotional support.
At the same time, Russian institutions are developing frameworks for online child protection. The Alliance for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment works on improving digital literacy and online safety, while Nanosemantics Lab advances conversational AI and neural interface technologies.
Studies such as ‘Transforming Child Protection Systems in Russia and the U.S.’ demonstrate how both nations are rethinking institutional care systems. In this sense, Tyumen’s digital avatar aligns with key global GovTech trends — digital transformation of social services, AI-driven virtual assistants, and evidence-based reforms in child welfare.
