Algorithm for Victory: Russian Teams Sweep the Podium at FAIO
Russian students took home all the top prizes at the Fizmat AI Olympiad (FAIO) in Almaty, cementing the country’s growing reputation as a global leader in artificial intelligence education and competition.
Medals for Russia
“The students demonstrated an impressive level of skill and confidently claimed the top spots. It’s a powerful international experience — congratulations to the winners and thanks to the FAIO organizers,” said team coach Sergey Arefiev after the event. The Olympiad, hosted at the Republican Physics and Mathematics School, brought together the best teams from earlier qualifying rounds. Over 400 teams participated in the initial stage, with 51 teams from 7 countries (a total of 153 students) making it to the finals.
The final results showcased the strength of Russian participants: first place went to Stanislav Andronov from Bichur School No.1 and a first-year student at Central University; second place was awarded to the team from Sirius University (Stepan Kulibaba, Artyom Jalilov, Kirill Labzin); third place went to the team from Lyceum No. 22 ‘Hope of Siberia’ (Semyon Rodionov, Mikhail Vershinin, Artyom Goncharov).
FAIO’s hybrid format combines classic ICPC-style programming challenges with real-world tasks in machine learning, robotics, and data analysis. By focusing on such dynamic fields, the competition attracts talented young minds and helps shape the next generation of technology leaders.
A Network for Talent
The triumph of Russian teams gives new momentum to the academic Olympiad movement. The country is seeing a rapid expansion of coding clubs, intensive training sessions, and academic camps designed to prepare students for high-level competitions like FAIO and the International Olympiad in AI (IOAI). A robust network is forming — one that connects schools, universities, and industry experts working together to nurture young talent through open AI challenges.
Russia’s experience is also gaining international attention. FAIO’s wide geography and open resources allow educators and edtech platforms to share methods and materials with teams from CIS countries. The ultimate goal — helping students reach the global level — is already being realized, as proven by Russia’s strong showing at IOAI 2025 in Beijing.
The Era of AI Olympiads
Over the past two years, Russia’s AI Olympiad movement has shown remarkable growth, confirmed by several milestone achievements. At the 2025 International Olympiad in AI (IOAI) in Beijing, 310 students from 61 countries competed in challenges across computer vision, machine learning, and natural language processing. During the final round, participants had five hours to develop algorithms to control virtual robots.
Russia’s national team delivered a stunning performance — eight high school students earned a total of eight medals: six gold, one silver, and one bronze. Russia finished second overall, narrowly behind Poland by just 0.1 points.
Behind these results lies a coordinated effort to identify and support young talent. The All-Russian Olympiad in AI, open to students from grades 8–11 in Russia and abroad, aims to expand this success.
The final stage, to be held in mid-November at Innopolis University, will feature the top 50 students. Russia’s AI Olympiad movement continues to gain momentum — and its students are proving they have what it takes to lead globally.
Building the Foundation for Future Wins
The decisive victory of Russian teams at FAIO 2025 in Almaty was no coincidence — it reflects a mature AI education ecosystem capable of competing on the world stage. The exchange of best practices between Russian and Kazakh educators and communities is further strengthening this foundation for future achievements at upcoming IOAI events in 2026 and 2027.
