INTEGRATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTO THE ARCTIC ECONOMY:  PROSPECTS FOR RUSSIAN-CHINESE COOPERATION

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Inga V. Skvortsova1, Anna B. Teslya2, Andrey G. Somov3, Xia Zhang4

1, 2, 3Higher School of Industrial Management, Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Saint Petersburg, Russia

4Datong University, Shanxi, China

1ingaskvor@spbstu.ru, ORCID 0000-0003-2350-6621

2anntes@list.ru, ORCID 0000-0001-8395-6515

3somovspb@yandex.ru, ORCID 0009-0004-2592-9198

4chzhanxia@outlook.com, ORCID 0000-0001-5309-7246

Abstract. This article analyzes opportunities for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the economy of the Russian Arctic through Russian-Chinese cooperation. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing competition for resources and logistical routes in the Arctic, where AI can become a key catalyst for increasing efficiency, environmental sustainability, and the safety of economic activities. The purpose of the research is to identify priority areas and assess the potential for AI integration into the Arctic economy via a Russian-Chinese partnership. The methods used include a systematic review of domestic and international sources, a comparative statistical analysis of macroeconomic indicators for Russia and China, and a scenario-based forecasting model up to the year 2030. The novelty of the research lies in the development  of a comprehensive roadmap for an AI project in the Arctic, considering technological, infrastructural, environmental, and investment factors from both countries, along with a risk matrix and risk mitigation proposals. Research results include  a taxonomy of seven key AI application areas (ice monitoring, digital logistics of the Northern Sea Route, intelligent resource extraction, Big Data infrastructure, and urban digital twins), a quantitative assessment of expected effects (logistics cost savings of approximately $2 billion per year, an increase in oil and gas project revenues of approximately $18–20 billion per year, a 30% reduction in accidents along the NSR, etc.), and a heat map highlighting bottlenecks and growth points for bilateral initiatives. The findings suggest that comprehensive AI integration could generate a cumulative economic effect of $45–60 billion by 2030 (approximately 15–20% of the GDP of Russia’s Arctic regions and China’s northeastern provinces), while simultaneously strengthening the region’s environmental and social sustainability. Future research should focus on developing unified data exchange protocols, creating joint AI testing sites, studying the social effects on indigenous peoples, and establishing a multi-level cybersecurity system for critical Arctic infrastructure.

Keywords: Arctic, artificial intelligence, Russian-Chinese cooperation, Northern Sea Route, energy resources, environmental monitoring

For citation: Skvortsova I. V., Teslya A. B., Somov A. G., Zhang X. Integrating artificial intelligence into the Arctic economy: Prospects for Russian-Chinese cooperation. Sever i rynok: formirovanie ekonomicheskogo poryadka [The North and the Market: Forming the Economic Order], 2025, no. 4, pp. 152–168. doi:10.37614/2220-802X.4.2025.90.010.

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