Latest news with #Sberbank
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Factbox-Governments, regulators increase scrutiny of DeepSeek
(Reuters) -Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which said in January it had developed an AI model to rival ChatGPT at much lower cost, has come under scrutiny in some countries for its security policies and privacy practices. According to its own privacy policy, DeepSeek stores numerous pieces of personal data, such as requests to its AI programme or uploaded files, on computers in China. Below are countries' actions regarding DeepSeek: AUSTRALIA In early February, Australia banned DeepSeek from all government devices over concerns that it posed security risks. GERMANY Germany has asked Apple and Google to remove DeepSeek from their stores due to concerns about data safety, a data protection authority commissioner said in June. INDIA India's finance ministry asked its employees at the beginning of February to avoid using AI tools including ChatGPT and DeepSeek for official purposes, citing risks posed to confidentiality of government documents and data. ITALY Italy's antitrust watchdog AGCM said in mid-June that it had opened an investigation into DeepSeek for allegedly failing to warn users that it may produce false information. In January it blocked the app citing a lack of information on its use of personal data. RUSSIA Russia's President Vladimir Putin in early February instructed Sberbank to collaborate with Chinese researchers on joint AI projects, a top executive at Russia's biggest bank told Reuters. SOUTH KOREA South Korea's data protection authority said in mid-February that new downloads of the DeepSeek app had been suspended in the country after the startup acknowledged failing to take into account some of the agency's rules on protecting personal data. Earlier in February, the industry minister had temporarily blocked employee access to DeepSeek due to security concerns. The service became available again at the end of April. TAIWAN Taiwan in February banned government departments from using DeepSeek's service as it saw it as a security risk. It also raised concerns about censorship on DeepSeek and the risk of data ending up in China. NETHERLANDS The Netherlands' privacy watchdog at the end of January said it would launch an investigation into Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek's data collection practices and urged Dutch users to exercise caution with the company's software. The government has also banned civil servants from using the app, citing policy regarding countries with an offensive cyber program, the government spokesperson said in late July. UNITED STATES The Trump administration is weighing penalties that would block DeepSeek from buying U.S. technology, and is debating barring Americans' access to its services, the New York Times reported in April. (Compiled by Mateusz Rabiega and Paolo Laudani in Gdansk)
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
Governments, regulators increase scrutiny of DeepSeek
June 27 (Reuters) - Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which said in January it had developed an AI model to rival ChatGPT at much lower cost, has come under scrutiny in some countries for its security policies and privacy practices. According to its own privacy policy, DeepSeek stores numerous pieces of personal data, such as requests to its AI programme or uploaded files, on computers in China. Below are countries' actions regarding DeepSeek: In early February, Australia banned DeepSeek from all government devices over concerns that it posed security risks. Germany has asked Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab and Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab to remove DeepSeek from their stores due to concerns about data safety, a data protection authority commissioner said in June. India's finance ministry asked its employees at the beginning of February to avoid using AI tools including ChatGPT and DeepSeek for official purposes, citing risks posed to confidentiality of government documents and data. Italy's antitrust watchdog AGCM said in mid-June that it had opened an investigation into DeepSeek for allegedly failing to warn users that it may produce false information. In January it blocked the app citing a lack of information on its use of personal data. Russia's President Vladimir Putin in early February instructed Sberbank to collaborate with Chinese researchers on joint AI projects, a top executive at Russia's biggest bank told Reuters. South Korea's data protection authority said in mid-February that new downloads of the DeepSeek app had been suspended in the country after the startup acknowledged failing to take into account some of the agency's rules on protecting personal data. Earlier in February, the industry minister had temporarily blocked employee access to DeepSeek due to security concerns. The service became available again at the end of April. Taiwan in February banned government departments from using DeepSeek's service as it saw it as a security risk. It also raised concerns about censorship on DeepSeek and the risk of data ending up in China. The Netherlands' privacy watchdog at the end of January said it would launch an investigation into Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek's data collection practices and urged Dutch users to exercise caution with the company's software. The government has also banned civil servants from using the app, citing policy regarding countries with an offensive cyber program, the government spokesperson said in late July. The Trump administration is weighing penalties that would block DeepSeek from buying U.S. technology, and is debating barring Americans' access to its services, the New York Times reported in April.
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Mariinsky Theatre premieres world's first opera made with help of AI - Sponsored
Within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), the Mariinsky Theatre hosted the premiere of the mystic opera Mandragora on the New Stage, the first musical performance in the world to be completed with the use of neural network technologies. Based on the idea of Peter Tchaikovsky and Sergey Rachinsky, the work was recreated and completed by Peter Dranga and neural networks from Sberbank. The libretto was finalized by GigaChat, the musical fabric by SymFormer, and Kandinsky created visual and scenic solutions. All artificial intelligence solutions were implemented under artistic control and with deep respect for the style of the era. German Gref, President, Chairman of the Management Board of Sberbank: "Mandragora is a collaboration between a large number of people: our wonderful musician and composer Peter Dranga, the brilliant maestro Valery Gergiev and, of course, the artists of the Mariinsky Theatre. And all this is implemented together with artificial intelligence, which saves a huge amount of time. Imagine how long it takes to arrange a score for a large symphony orchestra. This is not the composers' favorite work, because it takes up years of their lives. And thanks to artificial intelligence, a person can focus on creativity — the realization of what is inside him. And artificial intelligence can be a very powerful helper and inspiration." Pеter Dranga, composer, Merited Artist of the Russian Federation: "We have a very interesting story of interaction, when artificial intelligence offers options, helps to refine, speeds up the process and makes it even more interesting. And this is by no means a competition, but an absolute collaboration. I think it will help us all a lot in the future. And our opera should change not only our characters, but also everyone around who watched it. Because people always do certain things in the name of something. They are growing spiritually. The opera is about that. And everything happens inside the head that you will see on stage. This is the personification of Mandragora herself." The performance involved more than 170 artists, including the Grand Symphony Orchestra and soloists. The central scenic image is a giant head, inside which fantastic worlds unfold with the help of video mapping. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Techday NZ
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Techday NZ
Artificial intelligence helps create world's first opera at Mariinsky
The Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg has staged the world's first opera created with the assistance of artificial intelligence, premiering the mystical work Mandragora as part of the Stars of the White Nights Music Festival. Opera and technology The performance marks a milestone in the intersection of art and technology, with the opera being based on an original concept by Peter Tchaikovsky and Sergey Rachinsky. The work was completed through the combined efforts of composer Peter Dranga and neural networks developed by Sberbank. Artificial intelligence systems played a role throughout the creative process: GigaChat finalised the libretto, SymFormer contributed to the musical composition, and Kandinsky provided the visual and scenic design. All technological contributions were overseen to maintain adherence to the intended artistic style. The premiere of Mandragora was scheduled to coincide with the 185th anniversary of Tchaikovsky's birth. The opera's unveiling in St. Petersburg holds particular significance, given that the city is where Tchaikovsky lived and worked, and where the original production was intended to be staged. The production is now set to become part of the Mariinsky Theatre's official repertoire for the 2025-2026 season. Collaboration and creative control German Gref, President and Chairman of the Management Board at Sberbank, reflected on the collaborative nature of the opera's creation and the advantages of integrating AI technologies into artistic projects. Mandragora is a collaboration between a large number of people: our wonderful musician and composer Peter Dranga, the brilliant maestro Valery Gergiev and, of course, the artists of the Mariinsky Theatre. And all this is implemented together with artificial intelligence, which saves a huge amount of time. Imagine how long it takes to arrange a score for a large symphony orchestra. This is not the composers' favorite work, because it takes up years of their lives. And thanks to artificial intelligence, a person can focus on creativity — the realisation of what is inside him. And artificial intelligence can be a very powerful helper and inspiration. The conductor, Artistic Director, and General Director of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi Theatres, Valery Gergiev, commented on the balance between human creativity and technological innovation in the staging of the opera. Today, we have a determined attempt with our great friends from Sberbank to make a new stage version, featuring not only human talent, but also artificial intelligence. Recently, the latest technologies have been performing on the stages of world theaters, including Russia. An incredible number of interesting things has already been done in the world, and in the world of opera and ballet, using new technologies for real without breaking the natural connection with the creative work on which it is superimposed is the most difficult thing. We hope that our bold move will be received with interest. Composer and Merited Artist of the Russian Federation, Peter Dranga, described the collaborative process and emphasised the spirit of cooperation between human and artificial intelligence in developing the piece. "We have a very interesting story of interaction, when artificial intelligence offers options, helps to refine, speeds up the process and makes it even more interesting. And this is by no means a competition, but an absolute collaboration. I think it will help us all a lot in the future. And our opera should change not only our characters, but also everyone around who watched it. Because people always do certain things in the name of something. They are growing spiritually. The opera is about that. And everything happens inside the head that you will see on stage. This is the personification of Mandragora herself." International production The debut of Mandragora comprised more than 170 artists, featuring the Grand Symphony Orchestra and celebrated soloists. The stage design centred around a giant head, serving as a canvas for video mapping and the presentation of imaginative visual worlds. Direction was led by Ilya Ustyantsev, with costumes by Sergey Novikov and set design by Alexander Kudryavtsev. Other contributors included Alexander Sivaev for lighting, Murad Ibatullin for 3D graphics, Boris Tsibisov for mapping, and Maxim Kozlov as head of production. The project is international in scope, involving soloists, choirs, and orchestras who frequently perform on prominent stages throughout Europe and Asia. Alina Chertash and Vasily Ladyuk, both acclaimed and decorated in international competitions, performed the lead roles. Oversight for the production's technological and promotional aspects was provided by Sber Metaverse Tech and Sber Marketing, respectively.
New Straits Times
21-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Russia's economy resilient, not collapsing from Ukraine war: Putin
ST PETERSBURG, Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday dismissed claims the war in Ukraine is devastating the Russian economy, citing continued growth, low debt and economic diversification as signs of resilience, while business leaders voiced concern about the economy's health. Speaking at the closing session of the Saint Petersburg Economic Forum, Putin responded to a moderator's statement that credible reports suggest the war is "killing" the Russian economy. "As a well-known writer once said: 'The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated,'" Putin said, quoting Mark Twain. Putin said 43pct of Russia's GDP is now unrelated to the energy or defence sectors, underscoring efforts to diversify the economy. The three-day forum featured intense debate over the risks of economic stagnation. Inflation remains high at 9.59pct annually, more than double the central bank's 4pct target, but it has been gradually easing since late April, according to the economy ministry. In October, the Bank of Russia raised its key interest rate to its highest level since the early 2000s to combat inflation. Earlier this month, it cut the rate by one percentage point to 20pct . But the Kremlin has criticised the move as insufficient, warning that the economy could cool too rapidly after two years of war-driven growth. "Our most important task is to ensure the economy's transition to a balanced growth trajectory," Putin said in a keynote address. He defined balanced growth as moderate inflation, low unemployment and sustained economic momentum. "At the same time, some specialists and experts point to the risks of stagnation and even recession. This should not be allowed under any circumstances," Putin said. Striking a more pessimistic tone, Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov warned on Thursday that Russia is teetering on the edge of a recession. He said future monetary policy decisions will determine whether the country avoids a downturn. Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, who has led the institution through multiple crises since 2013, has faced criticism over high interest rates and currency volatility. She remains in her post with Putin's personal support. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said: "It's time to cut the rate and start heating up the economy. Demand for credit is weak, said German Gref, CEO of Russia's largest lender, Sberbank, and called for faster rate cuts. "It is especially worrying that we, as the largest bank, which finances ... almost 60pct of all investment projects in the country, have not financed a single new project since the new year," Gref said on Friday. Alexey Mordashov, majority shareholder of steelmaker Severstal, warned of a looming credit crisis and rising bankruptcies. He noted that steel consumption fell 14pct in the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
