Business progress: Russian companies are massively opening AI implementation offices
Russian companies have begun to open AI implementation offices en masse, whose employees automate repetitive processes, increase the efficiency of other departments and ensure data protection. The creation of such divisions increases the demand for AI directors. In January–October alone, the number of vacancies with artificial intelligence skills requirements increased by 62% compared to 2024. At the same time, experts note that as technology develops, the number of hacker attacks and phishing schemes increases.
Why do we need AI Transformation office managers?
AI transformation offices began to form in Russian companies - departments for the implementation of products based on neural networks. Organizations are massively looking for managers who will be able to launch and scale initiatives in the field of artificial intelligence, automate routine processes and improve the efficiency of departments, MWS AI told Izvestia. The editorial staff also found relevant vacancies in Alfa-Bank and other large companies.
Today, the main task of AI transformation is to move from disparate pilot projects to the systematic implementation of artificial intelligence technologies in companies' business processes, said Denis Filippov, CEO of MWS AI.
As follows from the position descriptions, the head of the AI transformation office must combine engineering competencies, strategic thinking and internal consulting skills. His responsibilities include the development and implementation of projects to digitalize internal processes, reduce costs and increase productivity.
In addition, the specialist is responsible for creating new roles in the company — productivity experts and AI mentors who help employees effectively use artificial intelligence tools and maintain a culture of sustainable technology adoption.
Candidate requirements include at least five years of experience in AI, machine learning, or generative technologies, preferably in large technology companies.
What AI projects may appear?
Ivan Rassokhin, head of the AI-Native transformation program at MTS Bank, told Izvestia that the company is forming a team of specialists in AI architecture, cybersecurity, employee training and project implementation. Key positions include Director of AI Architecture, Head of the AI Impact Assessment Center, and Head of the AI Competence Development Center.
— We plan to launch several large projects on the horizon of the year. Among them is an in—bank platform with AI assistants for employees, as well as a system of "hyperpersonalized" recommendations for clients. These are not experiments from scratch, but scaling technologies that have proven effective in the market," he said.
Severstal has a small office of about 30 people, which develops the DaVinci corporate generative AI platform and studies business growth points through the introduction of neural networks, the company's press service reported. In 2026, it is planned to bring the platform to mass use, launch the first autonomous AI agents, and introduce technology on a large scale into all business processes.
Konstantin Soft, Director of Data Science at Avito, said that the company has created a special direction for the development of AI under the leadership of Andrey Rybintsev, Managing Director of AI. The combined team includes about 900 expert engineers, data scientists, analysts and other specialists. Together, they form a technology platform on which intelligent products and solutions are created for 70 million users across Russia.
"The key project of the coming year is the launch of Avi's own AI assistant, which will help users in a natural dialogue format, clarify the parameters of goods and services, explain the differences between options and suggest the most appropriate solutions," he said.
According to him, investments in this development amount to about 500 million rubles, and a full launch in all verticals of the platform is planned for 2026. According to the company's forecast, generative AI technologies can provide at least 21 billion rubles of additional revenue by 2028 with total investments of about 12 billion.
How AI affects cybersecurity
Companies are increasingly looking for specialists with artificial intelligence tools in a variety of areas, from marketing, customer service and data analytics to logistics, HR, finance and operational management. According to Roman Gubanov, Director of Development at Avito Work, professionals who can use AI to accelerate business processes, improve the quality of solutions and overall efficiency are in demand today.
According to the service, in January–October 2025, the number of vacancies requiring AI skills increased by 62% compared to the same period in 2024.
There is a particularly noticeable increase in demand for marketing specialists: companies are looking for experts who can use neural networks to generate content, analyze audiences, and personalize communications. A new type of marketers is in demand now — those who not only develop creative concepts, but also know how to work effectively with tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney to create texts, images, and videos. According to the platform's analytics, the number of vacancies mentioning AI skills among SMM specialists increased by 176%, and among marketers — by 16%.
However, along with the spread of AI technologies, the number of threats is also growing: artificial intelligence is becoming not only a powerful tool for business, but also a new resource for cybercriminals. Vladislav Tushkanov, head of the machine learning technology research group at Kaspersky Lab, noted that attackers actively use AI for a variety of purposes. Experts regularly record the use of AI in creating phishing pages, writing ransomware, and developing software for complex targeted cyber attacks.
— We are witnessing a trend towards automation of an increasing number of links in cyber attacks. Fortunately, the same can be said about cybersecurity: AI is actively used to improve security technologies," he noted.
According to him, there is no reason to believe that AI is fundamentally changing the situation with cyber threats. Nevertheless, artificial intelligence technologies do accelerate the adaptation of hackers and increase the scale of attacks, for example, by expanding the geography of fraudulent activities. At the same time, the use of AI in cybersecurity makes it possible to significantly strengthen protection.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
