AI seen as forming a new global ‘nuclear club’

Artificial intelligence is emerging as a strategic asset on par with nuclear technology, according to Alexander Vedyakhin, first deputy CEO of Sberbank. He said a small group of countries with home-grown large language models now hold an advantage that is likely to shape global influence throughout the century.

Speaking at the AI Journey event, Vedyakhin described this shift as the formation of a new “AI club”, defined not by weapons but by national control over advanced models. He noted that countries able to build their own systems gain greater security and independence, especially in sectors such as public services, healthcare, and education.

Vedyakhin said national AI development has become essential because countries must avoid relying on external platforms for sensitive data. He added that only a limited number of states currently have original models, while others face high barriers to entering the field due to cost, expertise, and computing requirements.

He also said the United States and China remain ahead of the rest of the group, with a significant lead supported by larger investments and advanced infrastructure. According to him, countries that are starting late face growing challenges, as each delay increases the gap with early leaders.

Vedyakhin pointed to the rapid pace of technological change, rising computing needs, and high energy demands as factors shaping the future of global AI development. He said the next breakthrough may come from models with significantly larger memory or from architectures that move beyond current transformer-based designs.

While acknowledging the scale of required investment, he cautioned that infrastructure spending should remain balanced given the uncertainty of long-term returns in the sector.

Earlier, Qazinform reported that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the creation of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and emphasized that Kazakhstan must become a digital country within three years.