How Russian business uses generative AI: goals, approaches and barriers
By ForGeeks Analytical platform VK Predict together with consulting agency Prognosis conducted a survey among 200 representatives of medium and large businesses in key industries – from retail and finance to real estate and FMCG. The survey results show that 70% of companies are already using generative artificial intelligence to improve employee efficiency, increase profits and optimize costs.
Majority of companies are willing to hand over access to their data to AI
Of those surveyed using AI, 14% use internally developed solutions, 44% use only external products, and another 42% combine in-house development with marketplace tools. More than half of companies allow AI products to utilize their own data – including transaction history, sales, customer information and financials.
And more than half of companies allow AI products to utilize their own data, including transaction history, sales, customer information and financials.
Free cloud-based LLM models like ChatGPT, Deepseek and Midjourney are the most popular, along with specialized paid solutions for programming, video editing and user feedback. Paid LLM tools are utilized by 37% of survey participants.
Automating routines and increasing efficiency are top challenges
The main goal of AI implementation is to offload staff and increase productivity. This motivation was cited by 42% of companies. Also, 36% expect to increase revenue and 35% expect to reduce costs. That’s why generative AI is most often used to automate customer support tasks, generate creative content, create product descriptions, create marketing materials and maintain internal knowledge bases.
Intelligence is least in demand in HR departments – it is least often used for recruitment and HR tasks.
Barriers: lack of specialists and customer distrust
Businesses face two major barriers to mass adoption of generative AI. First, a lack of specialists with the right competencies (40% of respondents said this), and second, customer doubts about the reliability and security of AI technologies (27%).
A lack of specialists with the right competencies (40% of respondents said this).
Nevertheless, a third of companies that are not yet using generative AI plan to start working with it as early as 2025. Of those, 16% are ready to invest in in-house development, 37% will choose third-party solutions, and 47% will combine both approaches.
At least one-third of companies that are not yet using generative AI plan to start using it as early as 2025.
Prioritize content generation and script automation
About 37% of those who are just getting ready to implement AI are planning to use the technology to generate product and service descriptions. Another quarter of respondents plan to use AI to create scripts for sales teams and automate code generation.
Depending on the task at hand, 42% of respondents expect AI to increase productivity and reduce costs.
An industry perspective: where and how generative AI is being used
Retail: generative AI is actively used to automate customer support and generate product cards. Retailers are the ones most likely to implement such technologies in the near future – to improve the customer experience.
FMCG: Here, AI is most often used to search for information, both within corporate knowledge bases and in open sources. At the same time, companies in this industry are more likely to choose off-the-shelf solutions and avoid developing their own products.
Financial sector: actively using AI to communicate with customers and create marketing content.
Development: here AI is used to develop client products, generate hypotheses and conduct market analysis.
