AI skills drive higher salaries in Russia, study finds

The number of job vacancies in Russia requiring AI-related skills has increased by one-third, while salaries for such positions are also rising faster than the overall market average, according to a study cited by RIA Novosti.

The salary premium is particularly pronounced in marketing, advertising and public relations. Candidates with experience working with neural networks are being offered an average of 106,000 rubles, or about $1,251, per month, compared with 60,200 rubles, or roughly $710, for applicants without those skills.

A similar gap is evident in the legal sector, where vacancies requiring AI expertise offer an average of 80,000 rubles, approximately $944, compared with 60,500 rubles, or about $714, for positions that do not require such qualifications.

The insurance industry shows the same trend, with average monthly salaries of 70,000 rubles, around $826, for candidates with AI skills versus 58,300 rubles, or about $688, for those without them.

Analysts said demand for AI competencies in the digital sector is moving beyond general interest and increasingly reflects practical, job-specific applications.

At the stated exchange rate of one ruble to approximately $0.0118, the figures indicate a substantial salary premium for AI-related skills in several sectors.

By Tamilla Hasanova