Nikolayev outlines AI priorities for Yakutia and the Arctic

Healthcare, wildfire forecasting, education and support for the Yakut language are among the AI priorities outlined by Yakutia head Aisen Nikolayev. The regional press service reported his address to the seventh Northern Forum on October 9.

The plenary session in Yakutsk focused on human capital in the AI era, demographics, skills and changes in work. Nikolayev said the region's vast area, harsh climate, sparse population and costly logistics made improvements in efficiency especially important.

He named North-Eastern Federal University's mathematics tradition and a technology startup ecosystem as regional advantages. According to figures he cited, Yakutia accounted for 12 of the 100 best projects selected across Russia through AI Journey.

AI is already being introduced in medical institutions, including the cancer centre, the press service said. It identified faster transfer of research into clinical practice as the next task. Environmental applications are planned to forecast wildfires using satellite data and weather conditions.

The university's AI laboratory is developing technology capable of interacting with users in the Yakut language. Nikolayev linked this to preserving linguistic and cultural diversity. In education, he called for teacher training and tools that help children learn while retaining independent thinking.

He also pointed to AI's potential in film, animation and the creative economy. During the plenary session, Yakutia's government and the Arctic Development Project Office signed a cooperation agreement. The forum brought together more than 500 participants from 12 countries and 20 Russian regions. Proposals on human capital, staffing and AI deployment in northern territories are to follow.