Russia invests in future tech talent with first AI school course

The Russian Ministry of Education has officially added the country’s first large-scale school course on artificial intelligence to the federal list of approved textbooks.

The course, titled Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, has been developed for students in grades 5–6, 7–8, and 9 by the AI Alliance in partnership with the publishing house Prosveshchenie. The textbooks are scheduled to be available to schools starting in 2026, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

Alexander Vedyakhin, chairman of the Supervisory Board of the AI Alliance, first deputy chairman of the Executive Board, Sberbank, highlighted the practical focus of the new materials. “Students will not only learn to use AI tools but also understand the principles behind them and critically assess their capabilities and limitations,” he said. Vedyakhin added that interested students will have the opportunity to develop their own solutions using the GigaChat neural network.

“The first AI school textbooks in Russia are an investment in the future, an important contribution to the country’s competitiveness, and a step toward strengthening its technological sovereignty,” Vedyakhin emphasized.

Valeria Vorobyova, CEO of the AI Alliance, described the release as “a strategic step toward forming a generation of responsible AI users,” noting that the materials aim to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of AI technologies, from their advantages to ethical considerations and safe usage frameworks.

Nadezhda Kolesnikova, Chief Editor at Prosveshchenie, added that the textbooks respond to growing societal demand for modern technology education: “We are confident that our textbooks will help students learn to use these technologies safely and effectively.”

By Vafa Guliyeva