Russia’s AI Services Industry Reports Sixfold Growth

AI Traffic Breaks Records

The combined traffic to major AI platforms in Russia has increased sixfold in the first ten months of 2025. ChatGPT leads the market with nearly 40% of all visits. DeepSeek holds second place, while Russia’s GigaChat ranks third with a 7.3% share. Another domestic model, Alice AI (formerly YandexGPT), stands in fifth place at 5.7%.

Meanwhile, Chinese model Qwen has entered Russia’s top five. The landscape has changed dramatically compared with 2024, when ChatGPT dominated the market with 69.3%.

Today, competition is far more distributed. Although the combined share of Russian platforms GigaChat and Alice AI totals just 13%, their growth trajectory is strong. GigaChat, developed by Sber, has expanded its user base tenfold, exceeding 19 million users in 2025.

According to the company, the platform has significantly expanded its capabilities and now handles a wider range of tasks.

“Implementing artificial intelligence is one of the Government’s top priorities today. We are not only pushing businesses to adopt AI in their operations, but also using AI in public administration because we see its potential. Among the most notable examples is the integration of AI into the national project management system.”

Dmitry Grigorenko

Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Chief of Staff of the Government, underscores state priorities

Offloading Routine Tasks to AI

The criteria users apply when evaluating neural networks have also shifted. Previously, broad understanding of Russian-language queries was the primary benchmark. Today, users value depth, contextual awareness, and precision.

Industry analysts expect continued growth as AI assistants are increasingly integrated into browsers, operating systems, and professional software. Another key trend is the rise of open‑source AI models from China. Their quality has improved to the point where they meaningfully compete with established leaders.

Aleksei Nechaev, founder of the AI‑powered search platform Zhizhi, predicts that more open-source models like Qwen, DeepSeek, and MiniMax will enter the market soon. However, training data on the open Internet is becoming scarce, which means performance across models will converge over time. He notes that despite limited compute investment today, Chinese developers may overcome this barrier by 2026.

A Look Ahead

The surge in AI traffic reflects explosive public interest in neural networks as Russians increasingly embrace digital tools. Growing demand for AI assistants is also accelerating the development of the domestic IT sector by driving investment, innovation, and the release of new digital products.

For users, these advances promise better access to knowledge, improved communication efficiency, and automation of repetitive tasks. Experts expect Russia’s AI platforms to strengthen their position, supporting broad expansion of the national digital economy.

Over the long term, Russian AI systems may gain export potential, particularly across CIS markets. Continued localization efforts by domestic developers will play a decisive role in achieving scale.