Putin backs plan for a dedicated neural network in Russian education
In short
President Vladimir Putin supported a proposal to create a dedicated neural network for Russia's education sector at a video meeting with teachers on 5 October, Teacher's Day. Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov said the ministry will implement the project and will not let education be simplified. Putin said AI should ease teachers' work but must not replace pupils' own thinking, and warned against creating a small intellectual elite.
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President Vladimir Putin supported a proposal to create a specialised neural network for the education sector at a video meeting on 5 October with laureates of all-Russian professional teaching competitions and finalists of the television show “Классная тема”, Vedomosti and Kommersant reported. According to Kommersant and Interfax, the proposal was made by Alexey Morozov, an informatics teacher from the Tver region; Interfax described him as Teacher of the Year 2026 and noted that Teacher's Day is marked in Russia on 5 October. [ 5 , 7 , 8 ]
Putin said artificial intelligence should be used to ease teachers' work but that a deterioration in education must not be allowed, Kommersant reported. Interfax quoted him as saying that artificial intelligence in the educational process must not create conditions “under which the quality of training does not improve but worsens”, and called an education-specific neural network that would help teacher and pupil a good idea. RIA Novosti quoted him saying that pupils who trained their own cognitive abilities rather than “just pressing buttons” to get a test result showed the value of building a system that gives everyone equal starting opportunities and development, instead of “some small intellectual elite”. Kommersant reported that Putin also said research shows children who do not use AI demonstrate better results. [ 2 , 7 , 8 ]
Vedomosti reported that Putin, speaking about independent thinking, said the use of AI could have unfavourable consequences if a pupil limits himself to receiving a ready answer and does not work through the task. Kommersant quoted him: “It is necessary that a child develops an interest in what he does himself, and not simply in getting a result by pressing some button.” [ 5 , 7 ]
Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov told the president the ministry would implement the project, Kommersant and Interfax reported. Interfax quoted him: “Vladimir Vladimirovich, we will certainly implement Alexey Sergeyevich's proposal and, taking into account the risks you mentioned, we will not allow education to be simplified.” TASS and RIA Novosti reported separately that the Ministry of Education will create a neural network and AI in education. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 11 ]
Vedomosti noted that on 1 October, at the discussion club Valdai, Putin answered a question about whether he uses AI by saying he uses the presidential administration, “which in turn uses everything humanity has thought up”, and said a possible “digital totalitarianism” would be as dead-end, grim and anti-human as totalitarian societies of the past. The documents do not say how the education neural network would be built, by whom, at what cost or on what schedule. [ 5 ]
Why it matters
The education ministry's commitment, made directly to the president, points to a state-built AI tool for schools rather than a commercial product. Putin's conditions — that AI must not replace independent thinking or widen the gap between pupils — set the terms the ministry says it will follow. The documents give no timeline, budget or technical detail, so the practical effect is not yet clear.
Key facts
- Putin supported creating a specialised neural network for the education sector at a 5 October video meeting with teachers and finalists of the television show “Классная тема”. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 ]
- The proposal was made by Alexey Morozov, an informatics teacher from the Tver region. [ 7 , 8 , 10 ]
- Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov said the ministry will implement the proposal. [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]
- Kravtsov said the project would not lead to a simplification of education. [ 7 , 8 ]
- Putin said artificial intelligence should be applied to ease teachers' work but must not worsen the quality of education. [ 7 , 8 ]
- Putin said a child should develop an interest in what he does himself rather than simply get a result by pressing a button. [ 2 , 5 , 7 ]
- Putin said the system must not produce a small intellectual elite while others fall behind in their development. [ 2 , 7 ]
- Interfax noted that Teacher's Day is marked in Russia on 5 October. [ 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Vladimir Putin supported the idea of creating a neural network for the education sector. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 ]
- Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov said the Ministry of Education will implement the proposal. [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]
- The proposal came from Alexey Morozov, an informatics teacher from the Tver region. [ 7 , 8 , 10 ]
- The meeting with teachers took place on 5 October and was held by video link. [ 5 , 7 , 8 ]
Still unclear
- What the education neural network would do in practice, when it would be created and how much it would cost. The documents report only the proposal and the minister's promise to implement it, with no technical, budget or scheduling detail.
- The research behind Putin's statement that children who do not use AI show better results. Kommersant says “research shows” without naming a study, and no other document mentions such research.
- Whether Alexey Morozov holds the title Teacher of the Year 2026. Only Interfax gives him that title; other outlets describe him solely as an informatics teacher from the Tver region.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports that Vladimir Putin supported the idea of creating a neural network in education. [ 1 ]
- RBC carries the same report that Putin supported the idea. [ 3 ]
- TASS reports the Education Ministry will create a neural network and AI in education; Vedomosti publishes Putin's remarks at the video meeting with teachers. [ 4 , 5 ]
- Kommersant reports Putin's caution on AI in education, the proposal by informatics teacher Alexey Morozov and Kravtsov's promise to implement it. [ 7 ]
- Interfax reports Kravtsov saying the ministry is ready to implement the proposal and will not allow education to be simplified. [ 8 ]
- Vedomosti, Kommersant and RBC report Kravtsov's promise to create the neural network. [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]