Russian Companies Begin Migrating to MAX
Among telecom operators, T2 was the first to create a virtual chatbot on the national MAX platform. The assistant runs on artificial intelligence.
Meet Mia
Russia is actively rolling out its national messenger MAX. Its growing popularity is tied to the continuous integration of new services, making it a universal channel for solving a wide range of user needs. Soon, many large Russian companies are expected to launch customer support services on MAX.
T2 became the first Russian telecom operator to take this step. Now its subscribers can receive support directly through MAX, streamlining and accelerating service interactions. Company representatives link the move to the rapid growth of the messenger’s user base.
The new support channel fully complies with T2’s customer service standards. Users only need to message the official T2 account in MAX, where they are greeted by Mia, a virtual AI-powered chatbot. According to the company, the system can resolve about 65% of inquiries without involving a human agent. Subscribers can receive answers about tariffs, services, settings, balances, and other mobile-related issues. When necessary, Mia automatically transfers the dialogue to a live support specialist.
Expanding Functionality
“We strive to be where it is convenient for our subscribers and to provide simple, clear ways to access support. For us, it is important to create a service that combines accessibility with high standards of customer care. By entering into popular platforms, we not only expand points of contact but also make interactions with the company simpler and more transparent — exactly as they should be in a modern digital environment,” explained Elena Yurina, Director of Remote Services at T2.
The company noted that it plans to expand Mia’s functionality with additional AI capabilities, including voice message recognition and other software solutions.
Importantly, MAX has significant potential to become a fundamentally new digital platform. With high data protection standards and integration of diverse services, chatbots on MAX could soon be used not only for customer queries but also for payments, subscription management, and even automated diagnostics of various issues.
Broad Experience
While T2 is one of the pioneers among Russian firms launching services on MAX, many companies already have extensive experience with chatbots. The first such solutions began appearing in various messengers in the mid-2010s. Online services, e-commerce platforms, retail chains, and taxi providers were among the first to adopt them. By the early 2020s, Russia’s chatbot segment had evolved into conversational AI and integrated into the RPA (Robotics Process Automation) sector, enabling the automation of business processes.
A major milestone came in 2022 with the creation of the GigaChat platform by Sber. This neural network could both consult clients within the Sber ecosystem and generate text and images.
Strong Prospects
Looking ahead, it is clear that nearly all major Russian companies will soon launch chatbots on MAX. The platform could serve as a testing ground for entirely new functions that may eventually be exported to foreign partners.
The future pace of MAX’s development will be crucial. The larger its audience becomes, the stronger the incentive for companies to adopt the platform in order to reach the maximum number of their customers.
