AI hits the road: Putin sets the task of digital transformation of public transport
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the active implementation of artificial intelligence technologies in the public transport sector. This decision could radically transform the efficiency of the entire industry, opening new horizons for optimizing urban mobility.
During a working trip to Ulan-Ude, the head of state held a meeting of the Presidium of the State Council on the development of public transport via video conference. The key point was the requirement to use AI capabilities to forecast passenger flows, optimize schedules, and route networks.
What exactly has been ordered?
Putin outlined specific priorities. First, machine learning algorithms must be deployed to accurately forecast transport demand. Second, the focus is on creating intelligent schedule management systems that will allow transport movement to adapt to real-time road conditions and occupancy. According to him, this is not just modernization, but a fundamental improvement in the efficiency of the entire transport complex.
The president separately emphasized the issue of quality standards. To date, they have only been adopted in 34 federal subjects. In this regard, the government, together with the State Council, will need to develop clear criteria for assessing the quality of services for all regions. These benchmarks should become the basis for comparing the work of authorities in the transport sector and subsequently filling the national project "Infrastructure for Life" with specific indicators.
This order is a logical continuation of the course toward total digitalization of the economy. The public transport sector, where massive amounts of data are processed daily, is an ideal platform for applying AI.
The AI market in Russia: figures and prospects
The Russian artificial intelligence market is showing impressive momentum. By the end of 2025, it grew by 29.7%, reaching a volume of 316.1 billion rubles. According to the baseline forecast, this figure could double by 2030 to 830 billion rubles, and under a favorable scenario, reach 1.12 trillion rubles.
The implementation of AI is also transforming the labor market. Sber analysts estimate the contribution of generative neural networks to productivity growth at 1.2 percentage points. At the same time, the greatest effect is expected in office professions, while physical labor—drivers, mechanics, loaders—remains outside the direct influence of algorithms. In parallel, the state is building a regulatory framework: a working group on copyright has already been established under the government, which will determine the conditions for training models on protected content.
Transport is becoming another practical platform for AI. Forecasting, optimization, and management tasks are precisely the areas where algorithms process big data faster and more accurately than humans.
My view: Moving public transport onto "digital rails" is not just an administrative initiative, but a critically important step for creating smart urban infrastructure. However, success will depend not on the availability of the algorithms themselves, but on the readiness of regions to implement unified standards and the quality of the data collected. Without this, AI will remain merely a fashionable term in reports, rather than a working tool for improving quality of life.