IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nea/journl/y2025i67p225-233.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Digital divide and regional development in Russia in the context of artificial intelligence diffusion

Author

Listed:
  • Zemtsov, S.

    (Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), Development economics research laboratory, Moscow, Russia)

Abstract

The new stage of economy digitalization is associated with the widespread introduction of artificial intelligence (AI). At the same time, there are spatial disparities in access to information and communication technologies (ICT), in the ability to use them and make a profit (three levels of digital divide). From this point of view, the impact of complex AI algorithms, which are likely to form a new (fourth) level of digital divide, was not studied deeply enough. In general, a low level of digitalization can limit regional development: in the Russian regions where the share of active Internet users is 1% lower, the ratio of GRP to the labour force is 0.07% lower. In Russia, after 2022, the spatial diffusion of ICT could slow down in the context of external restrictions on equipment imports, personnel outflow, which should have increased interregional digital inequality. In fact, the latter was decreasing due to the expansion of online trade and government support for the ICT sector, and the permission of parallel imports. The economies of the most regions were approaching the digital frontier as they borrowed technologies, products, and management models, including the rapid spread of digital platforms. The intensity of AI implementation by organizations increased significantly in 2022, when the state offered a number of support tools, but then slowed down in most regions due to a lack of technical resources and competencies, and the high cost of business transformation (technological pause). Spatially differentiated policies will be required to save resources and concentrate efforts. Incentives are needed for research and startup development of digital technologies, including AI, in the most advanced centres (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk Oblast, Tatarstan); support for factories automation and retraining of employees in industrial regions; and, increased digital literacy, physical and affordable accessibility of ICT in lagging regions, expanding entrepreneurs' access to digital platforms.

Suggested Citation

  • Zemtsov, S., 2025. "Digital divide and regional development in Russia in the context of artificial intelligence diffusion," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 67(2), pages 225-233.
    • Handle: RePEc:nea:journl:y:2025:i:67:p:225-233
    DOI: 10.31737/22212264_2025_2_225-233
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.econorus.org/repec/journl/2025-67-225-233r.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.31737/22212264_2025_2_225-233?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Erik Brynjolfsson & Danielle Li & Lindsey Raymond, 2025. "Generative AI at Work," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 140(2), pages 889-942.
    2. G. I. Idrisov & V. N. Knyaginin & A. L. Kudrin & E. S. Rozhkova, 2018. "New technological revolution: Challenges and opportunities for Russia," Voprosy Ekonomiki, NP Voprosy Ekonomiki, issue 4.
    3. Ponomareva, E., 2021. "Digitalization as a driver of economic growth: Does only infrastructure matters?," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 51(3), pages 51-68.
    4. Yu. V. Simachev & M. G. Kuzyk & A. A. Fedyunina & A. A. Zaytsev & M. A. Yurevich, 2021. "Labor productivity in the non-resource sectors of the Russian economy: What determines firm-level growth?," Voprosy Ekonomiki, NP Voprosy Ekonomiki, issue 3.
    5. G. I. Idrisov & V. N. Knyaginin & A. L. Kudrin & E. S. Rozhkova., 2018. "New technological revolution: Challenges and opportunities for Russia," VOPROSY ECONOMIKI, N.P. Redaktsiya zhurnala "Voprosy Economiki", vol. 4.
    6. A. M. Kalinin, 2024. "Import Dependence and Import Substitution in Russia: Assessment Based on Resource and Use Tables," Studies on Russian Economic Development, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 171-179, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jin Kyo Suh & Jun Won Lee & Hanho Kim, 2011. "국제곡물가격의 변동성 요인분석과 한국의 정책적 대응 (The Determinants of Price Volatility in Food Crops and Policy Implications for Korea)," Policy Analyses 11-9, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy.
    2. Inna S. Lola & Murat Bakeev, 2020. "Digital Transformation In Manufacturing: Drivers, Barriers, And Benefits," HSE Working papers WP BRP 107/STI/2020, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    3. Abendroth Dias Kulani & Arias Patricia & Bacco F. Manlio & Bassani Elias & Bertoletti Alice & Bertolini Lorenzo & Bertrand Astrid & Bili Danai & Boucher Philip & Cachia Romina & Ceresa Mario & Chaslot, 2025. "Generative AI Outlook Report," JRC Research Reports JRC142598, Joint Research Centre.
    4. Christoph Riedl & Eric Bogert, 2024. "Effects of AI Feedback on Learning, the Skill Gap, and Intellectual Diversity," Papers 2409.18660, arXiv.org.
    5. Carvajal, Daniel & Franco, Catalina & Isaksson, Siri, 2024. "Will Artificial Intelligence Get in the Way of Achieving Gender Equality?," Discussion Paper Series in Economics 3/2024, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Economics, revised 28 Apr 2025.
    6. Gaétan de Rassenfosse & Adam B. Jaffe & Joel Waldfogel, 2025. "Intellectual Property and Creative Machines," Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(1), pages 47-79.
    7. Leonardo Banh & Gero Strobel, 2023. "Generative artificial intelligence," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-17, December.
    8. Alexander Cuntz & Carsten Fink & Hansueli Stamm, 2024. "Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property : An Economic Perspective," WIPO Economic Research Working Papers 77, World Intellectual Property Organization - Economics and Statistics Division.
    9. Lilia Patrignani, 2024. "Understanding digital trade," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 841, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    10. Amali Matharaarachchi & Wishmitha Mendis & Kanishka Randunu & Daswin De Silva & Gihan Gamage & Harsha Moraliyage & Nishan Mills & Andrew Jennings, 2024. "Optimizing Generative AI Chatbots for Net-Zero Emissions Energy Internet-of-Things Infrastructure," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-19, April.
    11. Carlo Drago & Alberto Costantiello & Marco Savorgnan & Angelo Leogrande, 2025. "Driving AI Adoption in the EU: A Quantitative Analysis of Macroeconomic Influences," Working Papers hal-05102974, HAL.
    12. Bohren, Noah & Hakimov, Rustamdjan & Lalive, Rafael, 2024. "Creative and Strategic Capabilities of Generative AI: Evidence from Large-Scale Experiments," IZA Discussion Papers 17302, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Anthony Harding & Juan Moreno-Cruz, 2024. "Watts and Bots: The Energy Implications of AI Adoption," Papers 2409.06626, arXiv.org.
    14. Andreas D. Landmark & Johan E. Ravn & Hans Y. Torvatn & Lisbeth Øyum, 2024. "Digital Transformations Through the Lens of the Collaborative, Co-Generative and Domesticative," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 37(5), pages 537-548, October.
    15. Martin Baily & David Byrne & Aidan Kane & Paul Soto, 2025. "Generative AI at the Crossroads: Light Bulb, Dynamo, or Microscope?," Papers 2505.14588, arXiv.org, revised Jul 2025.
    16. Leonardo Gambacorta & Han Qiu & Shuo Shan & Daniel M Rees, 2024. "Generative AI and labour productivity: a field experiment on coding," BIS Working Papers 1208, Bank for International Settlements.
    17. Becker, Dominik & Deck, Luca & Feulner, Simon & Gutheil, Niklas & Schüll, Moritz & Decker, Stefan & Eymann, Torsten & Gimpel, Henner & Pippow, Andreas & Röglinger, Maximilian & Urbach, Nils, 2024. "Lohnt sich Microsoft 365 Copilot? Eine Potenzialanalyse für Unternehmen und Bildungseinrichtungen," Bayreuth Reports on Information Systems Management 72, University of Bayreuth, Chair of Information Systems Management.
    18. Pouliakas, Konstantinos & Santangelo, Giulia, 2025. "Are Artificial Intelligence (AI) Skills a Reward or a Gamble? Deconstructing the AI Wage Premium in Europe," IZA Discussion Papers 17607, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    19. Cathy Yang & David Restrepo Amariles & Leo Allen & Aurore Troussel, 2025. "GPT Adoption and the Impact of Disclosure Policies," Papers 2504.01566, arXiv.org.
    20. Elena Lenchuk B. & Vladimir Filatov I. & Е. Ленчук Б. & В. Филатов И., 2018. "Российская экономика: поиск эффективной стратегии // The Russian Economy: Searching for Effective Strategy," Мир новой экономики // The world of new economy, Финансовый университет при Правительстве Российской Федерации // Financial University under The Governtment оf The Russian Federation, vol. 12(1), pages 6-21.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • O35 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Social Innovation
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nea:journl:y:2025:i:67:p:225-233. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Alexey Tcharykov (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/nearuea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.