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The research aims to explore the dialectical contradiction in the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on socio-economic inequality across Russia’s regions. The central question posed is whether AI will act as a force of regional convergence, the “Great Leveler,” or, conversely, as a catalyst for a new and deeper divide: the “AI Divide.” The research employs a conceptual analysis methodology. To examine the multifaceted influence of AI on regional inequality, it synthesizes several theoretical frameworks: the AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) model as the primary mechanism for technological diffusion; the theory of digital colonialism to analyze interregional flows of resources and power; Baumol’s cost disease theory to assess transformations in the service sector; and the concepts of AI as an “exocortex” and “human contact as a luxury good” to evaluate cognitive and social implications. The research findings reveal that AI holds significant potential to reduce inequality and harbors powerful mechanisms that may exacerbate it. The research identifies key risks of divergence: (1) the entrenchment of a “digital colonization” model, in which regions become dependent consumers of technology; (2) the emergence of a “cognitive divide” between users who harness AI for development and those for whom it becomes a “cognitive crutch”; (3) the rise of “digital apartheid,” a two-tiered system of services where genuine human interaction becomes an elite privilege. The scientific novelty of this research lies in its application of a synthetic conceptual framework that integrates global theories (digital colonialism, Baumol’s cost disease) to analyze inequality at the subnational level in the Russian context. For the first time, the issue of regional divergence is systemically examined through the lens of the “AI Divide” concept, which incorporates economic, social, and cognitive dimensions. The conclusion offers policy recommendations aimed at fostering cognitive resilience among the population and ensuring regional “digital sovereignty” to equitably distribute the benefits of AI implementation.

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The AI Divide: Fostering Convergence or Fueling a New “Digital Apartheid” in Russia’s Regions?

  • 章节

  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Mayya V. Dubovik,
  • Sergey G. Dmitriev

摘要

The research aims to explore the dialectical contradiction in the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on socio-economic inequality across Russia’s regions. The central question posed is whether AI will act as a force of regional convergence, the “Great Leveler,” or, conversely, as a catalyst for a new and deeper divide: the “AI Divide.” The research employs a conceptual analysis methodology. To examine the multifaceted influence of AI on regional inequality, it synthesizes several theoretical frameworks: the AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) model as the primary mechanism for technological diffusion; the theory of digital colonialism to analyze interregional flows of resources and power; Baumol’s cost disease theory to assess transformations in the service sector; and the concepts of AI as an “exocortex” and “human contact as a luxury good” to evaluate cognitive and social implications. The research findings reveal that AI holds significant potential to reduce inequality and harbors powerful mechanisms that may exacerbate it. The research identifies key risks of divergence: (1) the entrenchment of a “digital colonization” model, in which regions become dependent consumers of technology; (2) the emergence of a “cognitive divide” between users who harness AI for development and those for whom it becomes a “cognitive crutch”; (3) the rise of “digital apartheid,” a two-tiered system of services where genuine human interaction becomes an elite privilege. The scientific novelty of this research lies in its application of a synthetic conceptual framework that integrates global theories (digital colonialism, Baumol’s cost disease) to analyze inequality at the subnational level in the Russian context. For the first time, the issue of regional divergence is systemically examined through the lens of the “AI Divide” concept, which incorporates economic, social, and cognitive dimensions. The conclusion offers policy recommendations aimed at fostering cognitive resilience among the population and ensuring regional “digital sovereignty” to equitably distribute the benefits of AI implementation.