ST. PETERSBURG, June 7. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will sign a decree on the implementation of a national strategy in artificial intelligence (AI) in the near future, he announced at a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

He noted that, according to experts, in the coming decades additional global GDP growth due to the introduction of AI will be 1.2% annually. This is twice the impact that the global growth of information technology had on the economy in the beginning of the 21st century.

"Like other leading countries of the world, Russia has prepared a national strategy for the development of technologies in the field of artificial intelligence. It was developed by the government with the participation of domestic high-tech companies. A decree on the launch of such strategy will be signed in the near future," he said. "The step-by-step action plan under the strategy will be integrated into the national program ‘Digital Economy’," Putin added.

He added that the global market for products using artificial intelligence will grow almost 17-fold by 2024 and will reach about $500 bln.

At the same time, Putin proposed to establish a partnership of large companies with the state in the development of science and technology areas. "I suggest that our companies with state participation, as well as leading Russian private companies, become the state’s leading partners in the development of science and technology areas," Putin called.

Such areas can include artificial intelligence, new materials, genome technologies for medicine, agriculture and industry, as well as portable sources of energy, techniques of its transmission and storage. This partnership should result in output and promotion of breakthrough successful products and services both in the domestic and foreign markets, Putin said.