The Lobachevsky Journal of Mathematics, on the Springer Nature website, has published an English translation of a historical article: the special issue “Big Data for the Digital Economy” of the Information Society journal, published in 2021.

In the Editorial Column “Big Data for the Digital Economy,” issue editor and chairman of the journal’s editorial board, Yuri Hohlov, wrote:

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Data is everywhere. And it has value. This realization has only recently dawned on humanity, amid the digital revolution. The digital transition has resulted in us being inundated with a ninth wave of digital data, containing the information needed to make informed, smart decisions. This transition would not have occurred without the rapid development of telecommunications infrastructure, which has eliminated the distance between people and organizations who wanted to communicate, and computing infrastructure, which has eliminated the time people previously spent on vital calculations.

The “big data” phenomenon is barely two decades old, but during this time, disruptive big data technologies have evolved from inception to hype and migrated to a plateau of productivity, where their use has become routine, bringing tangible economic and social benefits to skilled users.

This issue of the journal Informatsionnoe Obshchestvo (Information Society) presents the results of a three-year project by the National Technology Initiative aimed at creating a system for monitoring (and standardizing) production processes, the use of numerous big data technologies, and their impact on socioeconomic development. This project, implemented as part of the NTI Center for Big Data program at Moscow University, is a striking example of a multi-stakeholder partnership between organizations representing key stakeholders in digital development: government, business, civil society, and the scientific and educational community.

Among the publications in this issue, our readers will find both theoretical research on the development of a conceptual framework for monitoring BD4DE (Big Data for Digital Economy) or a BD4DE-MM maturity model for working with big data in an organization, as well as practical results from assessing the state of big data in specific areas: business, public administration, healthcare, or education. Readers will be able to understand the factors that influence the effectiveness of working with big data; they will also be able to understand what this depends on—whether it’s government policy, the level of personnel training, or the country’s research potential or the presence of domestic technology developers. They will also understand that it’s impossible to purposefully develop a complex socio-technological system without a feedback loop in the form of a monitoring system that enables management actions.

Of course, detailed answers to these and other questions can only be obtained through comprehensive, large-scale surveys of organizations and experts, which were impossible within the budget of the research project. However, our piloting of the developed monitoring system inspires confidence that the developed tools will find application in the development of the country’s digital economy as a whole, the digital transformation of various sectors of activity, and individual organizations. The results of the project “Monitoring and Standardization of the Development and Use of Big Data Storage and Analysis Technologies in the Digital Economy of the Russian Federation” serve this purpose.

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A translation of all materials in the issue is available on the Springer Nature website.

On September 7, 2026, the Institute of the Information Society celebrated its 28th anniversary.

The area of professional activity of IIS is research, analytics and consulting, legislative, publishing and educational activities on a wide range of problems of information society and knowledge economy, as well as R&D and system integration in the field of creating modern information technologies, including design and implementation of different ICT solutions from the infrastructure level to the level of applied expert systems.

The institute’s customers are federal and regional authorities, federal scientific foundations, large commercial companies, state unitary enterprises, state institutions, universities, research institutes (including the RAS systems), non-profit organizations, international organizations.

The IIS achievements list includes a number of major projects: conceptual and methodological documents of national and international significance; projects for the development, implementation and examination of projects related to the electronic development of Russian regions; analytical reports on the readiness of Russia and its regions for the information society, which have been published regularly since 2001.

In total, the Institute has held more than a hundred events at the regional, national and international levels, published over 30 books on a range of problems of the information society.

Since 1999, the Institute, together with the Russian Engineering Academy, has been the publisher of the scientific and analytical journal “Information Society”, the only publication in Russia that comprehensively and systematically covers the problems of the information society development. In 2010, the journal was included in the List of leading peer-reviewed scientific journals and publications, approved by the Higher Attestation Commission of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, and in 2015 it confirmed its status. Also, in 2015, the journal was included in the Russian Science Citation Index on the Web of Science platform.

Leading experts of the institute have participated in the implementation of a number of initiatives promoting the use of ICT for comprehensive development in Russia, in particular: Public Expert Council of the Moscow City Duma in the direction of “Information, Informatization, Communications, Telecommunications and Television” (1998-2001), then transformed into the Public Expert Council of the Moscow City Duma on the Development of the Information Society (2002-2006); Council under the President of Russia for the Development of the Information Society (2009-2012); expert council under the Government of the Russian Federation (2014-2018); Council for Digital Transformation of ANO “Digital Economy”; the working groups of ANO “Digital Economy” on digital governance and artificial intelligence; subcommittee “Data” (PC 02) as part of the Technical Committee for Standardization “Artificial Intelligence” (TC 164) on the basis of RVC, etc.

Institute leaders at the highest expert level participated in international initiatives, including The Global Bangemann Challenge (1998-1999), then converted to the Stockholm Challenge (2000-2010); Global Junior Challenge (1999-2009); The Digital Opportunity Task Force (DOT Force) (2000-2001); UN ICT Task Force (2002-2005); Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development (GAID) (2006-2012); WSIS Action Line C7 e-Government of the action plan for the implementation of the decisions of the World Summit on the Information Society (2012-2017); Working Group on the Measurement and Evaluation Tool for E-Participation Readiness (METEP), formed by the Division of Governance and Development of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2013-2015), etc. The Institute today employs people of various specialties, ages and nationalities. They constitute a powerful intellectual and creative union of like-minded people, thanks to which the Institute was able to overcome all difficulties and become a recognized “expert of the first choice”, an independent leader of Russia in the development of the information society.

We congratulate all IIS employees and partners on the 28th anniversary of the company and wish you all good health, good mood and enduring faith in success!

Please meet the fourth issue of the scientific and analytical journal “Information Society” for 2026. The main theme of the issue is Humans and algorithms: new rules of the digital world. The articles in this issue cover, among others, the following topics:

Are neural networks capable of creating new scientific knowledge?
The future of AI: scientific forecast, transhumanism, or a new quasi-religion?
Keynes in the DeFi era: outlines of a new monetary system
How robots collect Internet data for business
Borderless digital markets: Chinese experience and African opportunities for Russia
What competencies do people need in the “Second Machine Age”?
Video games as an information system: the science behind game mechanics
Synthetic population: how to model the demographic future
Can social media data help track epidemics?
Strategy with AI: how to choose alternatives and maintain critical thinking

In her address to readers “Between freedom of choice and machine logic”, the journal’s editor-in-chief Tatiana Ershova wrote:

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“The danger is not that computers will one day start thinking like humans, but that humans will one day start thinking like computers.” This statement by American journalist Sidney J. Harris sounds alarming today, not like an abstract hypothesis. We live in an era when “digital” has ceased to be a tool and has become a habitat. But this environment, like any ecosystem, has its own laws. And the most important of these is algorithmic logic, which, unnoticed by us, has begun to restructure not only the economy but the very structure of human thought.

Today’s issue is devoted not so much to technology as to a bifurcation point—we are at a turning point where not just a shift in technological paradigms is taking place, but a paradigm shift in subjectivity. The question is no longer whether artificial intelligence can generate content or optimize logistics. The question is who determines the rules of the game when the digital environment begins to shape our habits, preferences, and even the boundaries of reality. Looking at the panorama of modern research, a paradox becomes apparent. On the one hand, algorithmic systems promise us unprecedented transparency and efficiency. Financial flows are decentralized, trade is becoming global, and social forecasting is becoming highly accurate. We see robotics and network technologies penetrating a wide range of areas: from the management of special economic zones to the modeling of demographic scenarios. It would seem that chaos is being overcome, and reason is triumphant.

But this orderliness has a downside. The more accurately algorithms adapt to us, the narrower our own choice becomes. Recommender systems built on the principles of preference enhancement draw us into so-called “filter bubbles,” where reality is replaced by a personalized illusion. We begin to think not as humans seeking truth, but as machines consuming content—based on the principles of “like/dislike,” “suitable/unsuitable.”

Scientists are trying to find a balance. The question is how to preserve the human dimension in a world dominated by big data and neural networks. This issue explores how digital technologies influence our cultural horizons and how they change the essence of scientific knowledge and creativity. And most importantly, how to build new legal and ethical frameworks to prevent privacy, financial security, and the right to make mistakes from dissolving in the flood of computational optimization.

Digital transformation is not linear progress. It is a mirror in which we simultaneously see both our greatness and our vulnerability. Algorithms may be perfect performers, but they will never become inspired creators. Until we humans lose the ability to reflect, think critically, and, most importantly, to question, we still have a chance of avoiding becoming “thinking machines.”

This issue is not a collection of ready-made recipes, but an invitation to conversation. Read, debate, think—otherwise, the algorithm will do it for you.

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The full text of the issue can be found on the journal’s website.

ITMO University completed a continuing professional education program for instructors of top-tier educational programs in artificial intelligence. More than 330 instructors from 19 Russian universities participated.

The program was developed and implemented by ITMO University as part of the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media’s project to train top specialists in artificial intelligence, with the support of the Analytical Center for the Government of the Russian Federation. The program was designed for senior instructors of top-tier educational programs from universities that had received grant support. In addition to lectures, the training included a project-based module. The instructors formed interuniversity teams, developed their own course projects and assessment tools, and posted their results in Git repositories.

Following the training, the interuniversity teams defended 54 course projects. Yuri Hohlov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute of the Information Society, participated in the review and approval of course drafts for top-level educational programs in artificial intelligence.

Source: https://news.itmo.ru/ru/education/cooperation/news/14970

The third issue of the Information Society Journal for 2026 is published. The main theme of the issue is Digital environment: trust, power, and humanity. The articles in this issue cover, among others, the following topics:

Accessibility begins with information
Digital society tests the maturity of institutions
New technologies expose old social divides
Human beings and neural models: collaboration without replacement of  thinking
Artificial consciousness is not just a technical issue
Big data is changing our view of the future
Participatory technologies are not a substitute for dialogue
Digital currency as a test of public trust
A digital object is no longer just a thing
Algorithms in sports: precision instead of intuition

In her address to readers “Epistemological Integrity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” editor-in-chief Tatiana Ershova wrote:

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We once again address a topic that looms large over all discussions about the future of our society—the risks of using artificial intelligence. The occasion for reflection was the publication on May 24, 2026, of a document entitled “A Manifesto for Biological Intelligence: Humans must reign over machines and tame the silicon beast”. The manifesto was written by Dr. Louise Zharovsky from Israel. Our Russian colleague Natasha Khramtsovskaya translated it and published it on her blog, “Who Doesn’t Move Forward, Moves Backward.”

The manifesto reads like a passionate hymn to the human mind, its unique capacity for intuition, empathy, and deep understanding of context. The author cautions against hastily replacing natural intelligence with artificial intelligence, reminding us that an ontological void often lurks behind the façade of algorithmic efficiency. This is not a rejection of technological progress, but a call for intellectual hygiene. It raises a crucial question: by delegating cognitive functions to neural networks, are we missing the very essence of cognition?

Modern research in the field of epistemic integrity, which is growing in number, raises a fundamental question: is a neural network a tool or an agent? For some time now, we have been witnessing a paradigm shift: AI is no longer simply a passive computing device and is becoming a “quasi-subject” actively shaping our view of the world. However, as philosophers emphasize, this subjectivity is relational; it arises only in the context of human-machine interaction. Moreover, trust in AI should not be based on the illusion of its objectivity. The key challenge is creating an “epistemic infrastructure” capable of explaining why a model yielded a particular answer, what sources underlie it, and what their reliability is.

Analyzing these two intellectual vectors leads us to a key conclusion: the future lies in developing a balanced, rational, but not technophobic approach. This is not about fighting AI, but about redefining the boundaries of responsibility. This task requires an interdisciplinary dialogue in which the voices of philosophers, sociologists, technology developers, and regulators speak in unison. The Manifesto reminds us of the value of natural intelligence, while philosophy points out how to integrate machine intelligence into the processes of cognition and the representation of its results. Only in this way can we realize the enormous positive potential of AI while minimizing its negative effects. Our journal pays close attention to articles presenting research results in the field of artificial intelligence. This issue also includes several articles touching on the philosophical and legal foundations, challenges, and prospects for the creation and use of AI technologies. They are posted in the sections “Fundamental research in the field of information society development”, “Socio-economic aspects of the information society”, “The Human in the information society”, “Information society and law”.

On June 24, 2026, a meeting of the State Council Commission on the “Data Economy” was held in Krasnogorsk.

“We’ve made significant progress in developing digital technologies recently. By the end of 2025, the IT industry showed strong growth, with revenue increasing by 14%. For comparison, this is ahead of the global average. Exports of Russian IT solutions are also growing – by 20% on average over the past year, demonstrating the high quality of domestic developments and their demand in the international market. This year, we have moved toward the systematic implementation of AI in key sectors of the economy. To this end, we have set performance targets and launched monitoring. We are currently working on developing a national plan for technology implementation, including laying the regulatory framework for the development of artificial intelligence. The government has already drafted a corresponding bill. The document introduces the concept of AI and creates conditions for stimulating the development of domestic AI technologies. We plan to submit it to the State Duma in the near future,” said Dmitry Grigorenko.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that Russia currently has nearly 200 targets for the implementation of AI technology in 13 key sectors by 2026. These targets apply to 20 federal executive bodies. The status of these KPIs is already being monitored in real time in the federal state information system for the coordination of information technology. Agencies enter data on task completion for each milestone, and the information is verified by the Analytical Center under the Government, together with the Center for Expertise and Conducting Information Systems. This essentially marks the first approach to the systematic implementation of AI technology in Russia and the assessment of its real-world impact. The State Council Commission on the “Data Economy” is chaired by Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov. The event was also attended by State Council Secretary and Aide to the President of Russia Alexey Dyumin, Minister of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media Maksut Shadayev, representatives from various regions of the country, government agencies, and leading experts in the development and use of artificial intelligence technologies, including Yuri Hohlov, Chairman of the IIS Board of Directors.

Sources: Russian Government website, Moscow Region Government website (in Russian)

Dear colleagues, partners, friends — all who remember and honor!

On this sacred day — Victory Day over Nazi Germany — we bow to the courage and fortitude of our ancestors. They defended freedom and human dignity. Eternal glory to the heroes who gave us the future!

Today, decades later, history imposes us a new challenge. The ideology of hatred and superiority is raising its head — fascism is once again attempting to unleash deadly unrest. We see this orgy and are doing everything to stop it. We firmly know: good is stronger than evil, truth is immortal, and retribution is inevitable.

We believe and hope: the prison of greed and stupidity will shamefully collapse, just as the Third Reich collapsed. We will destroy the neo-Nazi scum, just as our ancestors put an end to the brown plague. We will achieve another Great Victory — over hatred and lies.

Happy holiday! Happy day when memory becomes a weapon, and truth a banner. May our new victory be just as brilliant, and may the peace won by our ancestors return to Earth once again!

Glory to the heroes of the past! Glory to the heroes of the present! For Victory!

From April 24 to 29, 2026, Yuri Hohlov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Institute f of the Information Society, and Tatiana Ershova, a member of the IIS Board of Directors and Editor-in-Chief of the scientific and analytical journal “Information Society,” visited Krasnodar at the invitation of Kuban State University.

On April 27, Yuri Hohlov gave an open lecture, “Standards in Artificial Intelligence: From Creation to Impact Through Use.”

“Standards are the quintessence of accumulated knowledge and best practices. They represent a consensus among key players on where the industry is heading and how to apply technology for socioeconomic development,” he noted in his speech.

The lecturer explained that a modern AI system is not simply software code, but a complex ecosystem encompassing data collection, model creation, validation, and operation. Particular attention was paid to the diverse perspectives of stakeholders—from data providers and developers to end users and regulators.

The lecture addressed the pressing issue of harmonizing the international and national standardization landscapes. He described the dynamics of synchronizing Russian AI standards with international ones. While at the end of 2021, the average lag behind international standards was 26 months, and coverage was only 10%, by the end of 2025, coverage had already increased to levels that allow us to speak of a harmonized regulatory framework.

The lecture presented a conceptual model of digital development, in which artificial intelligence, along with big data and the Internet of Things, is classified as “third wave” technologies. The impact of digital solutions on the economy and society was emphasized, where standards are one of the critical factors ensuring interoperability, trust, and security of technologies.

On April 28, T. Ershova gave an open lecture on “How to Prepare a Scientific Article to Avoid Rejection.”

She explained why up to 50% of articles are rejected even before peer review and specifically discussed the correct and categorically unacceptable uses of artificial intelligence in scientific writing.

She detailed the structure of an ideal article—from the abstract to the conclusion. Particular attention was paid to the fact that the work should provide a clear answer to the question, “What has been done for the first time?”

The section on artificial intelligence generated the greatest interest from the audience.

“AI is a fast secretary and editor, but not an author. Only humans should think, be responsible for their conclusions, and sign their texts,” the lecturer noted.

She also discussed how neural networks actually help researchers and save their time. AI is excellent at checking grammar, improving headings, turning chaotic drafts into coherent text, and explaining complex passages.

The lecture concluded with a practical checklist for final proofreading before submitting material to the editor and a discussion of professional ethics.

On April 29, Yuri Hohlov gave an open lecture for students of the Faculty of Computer Technology and Applied Mathematics on “Big Data Standards for Machine Learning and Analytics.”

The event focused on the systematization of international and national standards governing the work with big data at all stages of its lifecycle.

The lecture covered in detail:

• key stages in the development of Big Data technologies and associated standardization
• basic terms and concepts of the topic
• the data lifecycle in artificial intelligence systems
• data quality metrics for analytics and machine learning
• Big Data reference architecture

Particular attention was paid to the harmonization of Russian big data standards with international ones.

In addition to lectures, the IIS leaders’ visit to Krasnodar included working meetings with KubSU Rector Mikhail Astapov, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Technology and Applied Mathematics Alexander Kolotiy, Head of the Department of Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence Anna Kovalenko, Associate Professor of the Department of Information Technologies Sergei Sinitsa and the Director of the Regional Computer Communications Center Boris Levitsky.

KubSU press releases were used in the preparation of this material.

Please meet the second issue of the scientific and analytical journal “Information Society” for 2026. The main theme of the issue is Digital transformation at a turning point: economics, ethics, and human experience.

The articles in this issue cover, among others, the following topics:

Platform employment: convenient freelancing or a “Gray Zone” for IT professionals?
Quantum computing for oil and gas: economic benefits of up to 500% – fiction or reality?
AI through students’ eyes of: smart assistant, future competitor, or danger?
Large Language Models: will humanities disappear or expand their role?
Terminator and the Matrix: how does science fiction shape our perception of time and technology?
Ethics and law: can algorithms be “forced” to be transparent?
Sanctions as a growth driver: why do most Russian IT companies see new opportunities in challenges?
Developing the Information Society in Moscow: how did the Russian capital move from piecemeal measures to systemic policy?

In her address to readers “2025: Summa summarum”, the journal’s editor-in-chief Tatiana Ershova wrote:

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Back in 1997, the Bulletin of the Russian Society for Informatics and Computer Engineering, which by then was in its eighth year of publication, was renamed “Information Society.” And there was a reason for this: in 1994, the world learned of the famous “Bangemann Report”—a political manifesto that emphasized the transformative role of information and communication technologies and had a clear socioeconomic focus. This document proved to be truly momentous: it inspired not only politicians but also countless enthusiasts in many countries, including Russia. Many believed in the positive potential and power of ICT, which could and should be harnessed for the benefit of people.

Before this, in the 1950s–1980s, people mostly talked about “mechanization and automation.”

Since the 1980s, they had shifted to “informatization.” Since the 1990s, the term “digitalization” has been widely used. But at the turn of the millennium, the “information society” emerged on the global political agenda, with a dedicated summit held in two stages in 2003 and 2005. Even before this event, a concept for the development of the information society was approved in Moscow, and in 2008, we received the Strategy for the Development of the Information Society. In 2011, a state program, “Information Society,” was developed to implement it, covering the period up to 2030. However, it evolved into a departmental program of the Ministry of Communications/Ministry of Digital Development, and the lion’s share of budget funds went toward creating state information systems that address the needs of government officials and, only indirectly, citizens and businesses.

Since the early 2010s, amid the rapid development of cloud services, artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things, “digital transformation” has come to the forefront. This implies a profound rethinking of strategies, processes, business models, and organizational cultures under the influence of digital technologies. In our country, this term was formally enshrined in the national program “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation” in 2017. The activities surrounding this program were more focused on economics, perhaps even corporate development, so it all had a strong capitalist feel.

At the same time, objective processes have radically changed the nature of work, trust and security models, forms of education, and even ethics. We are not simply witnessing the introduction of new tools—digital platforms, large language models, and quantum algorithms are beginning to reshape the very fabric of society. What happens to individuals and society when algorithms begin to generate content, platforms begin to manage employment, legal imperatives begin to catch up with technology, and the Industrial Internet of Things begins to connect millions of devices? The answer is paradoxical. The smarter machines become, the more clearly unique human qualities emerge. This is precisely the theme of our authors’ articles, which demonstrate that digital transformation can only succeed to the extent that we learn to ask the right questions. And the most important of these is: how can we preserve humanity at the center of a world that is becoming increasingly artificial? The answers are in our hands.

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The full text of the issue can be found on the journal’s website.

On April 8, 2026, a case study session titled “The Economics of AI: Does It Add Up or Not?” was held as part of the Data Fusion conference on data analysis and artificial intelligence technologies.

Undoubtedly, AI has the potential to dramatically reduce labor costs and help save time. However, the question of converting this time into real money remains a matter of economic art. The obvious cost reduction through staff reductions often fails to recoup even the company’s investment in developing and owning professional AI. Therefore, the focus is on AI application models that transform the labor process itself and allow for quantifiable impact assessments, taking into account specific costs and risks, such as those associated with AI errors.

The session discussed:

1. Successful, non-trivial cases of turning “time into money” through AI in companies.
2. The economic aspects of implementing AI in highly specialized production processes with a significant share of labor.
3. Quantitative assessment and forecasting of the economic effects of AI implementation: approaches, models, and results. Do modern economic theories work well with AI?
4. “Reconnaissance in force”: how to assess the economics of ai in the early stages of development and implementation? What signs can be considered as harbingers of inefficiency?
5. Practical aspects of developing the cost of AI ownership: how to consider the risks associated with inevitable errors? insurance for AI-related risks.
6. Profound Transformation of the AI ​​economics in industries: how will the costs of individual work be redistributed once all market participants successfully implement AI? Could this lead to a situation where implementation costs won’t pay off? What should we do: be first to implement or wait for the market to restructure?

The session was moderated by Alexander Bukhanovsky, ITMO University, Head of the “”Strong AI in Industry” Research Center.

The session program included the following presentations:

1. Elena Belobrova, Yandex Cloud, Head of ML&AI Business Development
   AI: Where is the Money, and Where is an Expensive Experiment
2. Ekaterina Kanunnikova, VK Tech, Director of Product, Data Services
   Before and After the Model: How to Calculate an AI Project Fairly
3. Yuri Hohlov, Institute of the Information Society, Chairman of the Board of Directors, full member of the Russian Engineering Academy
   The Economics of AI: From Creation to Impact through Use
4. Dmitry Ruzanov, Alfa-Bank, Director of the Model Development Department
   How AI Turns Time into Money: A Model Approach and New Pricing at the Bank
5. Yuri Borodachev, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Deputy Director of the Artificial Intelligence Center
   The Economics of AI: The Real Sector. Is it Aligned or Not? The Problems of Expectations and Effects from Hardware Consumers