As Chairman of the Executive Board at Sberbank, Herman Gref plays a pivotal role in shaping the company’s strategic vision, with a strong emphasis on advancing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Under his leadership, Sberbank has developed cutting-edge digital products that not only enhance the institution’s efficiency but also set new industry benchmarks.
In this article, we explore Gref’s insights on the transformative impact of AI across public administration, science, and the economy. Additionally, we take a brief look at Herman Gref’s biography.
AI in Public Administration
Recently, several news media have reported on Herman Gref’s attendance at the AI Journey international conference. During the event, he highlighted the transformative role of artificial intelligence in public administration, emphasizing its growing impact on government efficiency.
According to Gref, the Ministry of Finance leverages AI to streamline budget classification and ensure that funding is effectively aligned with desired outcomes. At the regional level, AI-powered solutions have been widely adopted, expediting the disbursement of social benefits and enhancing the overall quality of public services. These advancements underscore AI’s potential to drive efficiency and improve citizen experiences within the public sector.
Herman Gref also emphasized that AI now helps to process requests from the public. One of Sber’s top priorities is developing a highly reliable recognition system that can accurately classify and label incoming requests based on various criteria, such as topic or geographic origin.
This AI-driven approach will make it easier for authorities to collect and analyze statistics, offering clear insights into regional and sector-specific concerns. Officials will gain a more precise understanding of where citizens voice the most complaints—whether in healthcare, taxation, or other public services—enabling more data-driven decision-making and targeted policy improvements.
AI in Science
Herman Gref was recently invited as a speaker at the Digital Open Class, an educational event aimed at introducing schoolchildren to the future of artificial intelligence. Addressing a young audience, he shared insights into AI’s rapid evolution and its far-reaching potential.
Gref emphasized that AI is becoming more intelligent every day, expanding beyond text, image, and video generation to develop entirely new capabilities. He described artificial intelligence as the defining technology of the 21st century, noting that no other innovation in human history has progressed at such an astonishing pace.
Among AI advancements, generative AI stands out as the most groundbreaking, according to Gref. He highlighted how interacting with this technology unlocks new possibilities, fundamentally reshaping the way people work and create. Looking ahead, he projected that AI will serve as a catalyst for the development of all other technologies, accelerating progress across industries.
“We are witnessing the dawn of AI evolution,” Gref stated, pointing out that even today, AI contributes to approximately 80% of global scientific discoveries. In the coming decades, it is expected to help solve challenges once deemed impossible. He also underscored the economic momentum behind AI, noting that investments in the field have surged 30-fold in the past five years—a trend that is only expected to intensify as demand for AI-driven solutions continues to grow.
AI in Economy
In multiple interviews, Herman Gref has emphasized the transformative power of AI across various sectors of the economy and the labor market. AI is revolutionizing the way we understand fundamental concepts in nature, physics, and languages, among other fields. According to statistics, 75% of employers consider AI-related skills among the most crucial for their workforce. Professionals proficient in AI gain a competitive edge, and demand for high-level AI competencies is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.
Herman Gref’s position at Sber enables him to showcase the company’s AI-driven achievements to the public. For instance, he has highlighted the GigaCode service, an advanced AI tool developed by Sber that understands over 35 programming languages. Currently, AI is responsible for generating more than 60% of Sber’s code, and experts predict that within a few years, professionals will be able to communicate their requirements in natural language, allowing AI to generate complex code autonomously.
Another standout innovation is Sber’s Kandinsky neural network. Initially designed for generating artistic images, it has since found practical applications in industrial design, interior architecture, automotive and railway design, and more. What started as a creative tool is now shaping various industries, reinforcing AI’s expanding role in both creative and technical fields.
Herman Gref’s Private Life
As the Gref family name suggests, they have German heritage. Herman Gref was born in a region that is now part of modern Kazakhstan. Despite growing up far from major cities, he received a strong school education, which later provided a solid foundation for his career.
Gref’s wife, Yana, runs a private school dedicated to gifted children, offering grants to the most talented students. The institution focuses on advanced learning methods, and Gref’s own children also attend, benefiting from its innovative educational approach.
