Banks to Accelerate the Adoption of Digital Technologies in Russia’s Economy

Banks as Engines of Digital Change

According to Dmitry Sredin, Vice President of VTB, Russian banks are set to become the primary operators of large‑scale technological shifts over the next decade. Speaking at the “RUSSIA CALLING!” investment forum, he emphasized that financial institutions are evolving from traditional lenders into drivers of technological adoption.

Artificial intelligence will no longer serve merely as a tool for assessing creditworthiness or managing advertising. Instead, it will forecast market demand, optimize logistics and inventories, manage risks, and support real‑time pricing strategies. Banks, leveraging their expertise, will enable businesses to automate entire operational chains — from supply chain management and treasury operations to contract workflows.

Banks as Connectors

Sredin predicts that the financial system will become hybrid and multilayered. State‑run payment systems, decentralized networks, digital currencies, and tokenized assets will coexist. In this environment, a major bank’s role is to ensure interoperability between these layers while safeguarding stability, security, and customer protection.

His view echoes the digital vision of Sberbank CEO Herman Gref, who has repeatedly stated that AI technologies are now mature enough to trigger what he calls a “revolution of revolutions” — the creation of autonomous organizations where machines handle most decision‑making. Employees, he argues, must learn to trust AI with operational autonomy within clearly defined boundaries.

Russian banks are positioning themselves as guides capable of helping businesses navigate this technological leap. Sber has developed and continues to expand its GigaChat neural network, which already assists with financial and legal tasks, supports customer service, automates internal workflows, and reduces labor costs.