The development of digital services, public perceptions of global digitalization, and the future interaction between the state and society in the digital realm were key topics of discussion at the "Shaping the Future" International Symposium, held November 4–6 at the National Center "Russia."
Experts examined the primary objectives of the state in the digital sphere and the societal impact of further technological innovations. Nikita Setov, political scientist and Deputy General Director of the Polilog Consulting Group for Government Relations, moderated the panel discussion titled "Citizens and the State in the Digital Sphere of the Future." He emphasized that in today’s world, the boundary between the digital and non-digital is increasingly blurred:
"We hope this session will overturn the dystopian view of the relationship between citizens and the state in the digital space, a perspective often found in Western discussions on the topic," he remarked.
Evolving Digital Services and Trust
Andrey Ulyanov, Director of the Department for Service Development and Customer Experience at the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, spoke about the current state and future prospects of government digital services. He highlighted key priorities such as:
- Ensuring accessibility and convenience for citizens
- Addressing security concerns
- Meeting citizens' needs
- Enhancing compatibility and integration with other state systems
Evgeny Styrin, Head of the International Laboratory for Digital Transformation in Public Administration at HSE University, elaborated on the critical role of trust in digital technologies:
"Achieving digital trust requires a collective effort involving legislative and executive authorities, businesses, and citizens. Society must be ready to evolve and adapt to effectively utilize the digital opportunities offered by the state."
Andrey Vetoshkin, representing Gazprom ID Operator LLC, underscored the strategic role of large corporations in bridging the gap between fears of new technologies and guarantees of digital and technological safety for users.
"The priority for small businesses and startups is profit. The priority for corporations is strategy. When we invest in dreams, we enable people to dream in the first place," he stated.
Reimagining State-Society Interaction
Gleb Dyakonov, Director of Applied Solutions at NtechLab, a subsidiary of Rostec, called for a fundamental shift in the state-society relationship:
"Transformation shouldn't just make the state more efficient; it should change everything. As people, our goal is happiness. This shift will happen when the very architecture of the state is designed with the intent to make us happy."
Yulia Ablets, Deputy General Director of the "Dialog Regions" NGO and founder of the New Media Workshop, joined science fiction writers Vitaly Chizhkov and Vadim Panov in highlighting the importance of speculative fiction in shaping visions of the future.
"Science fiction allows society to peer into the future without risking its present," the authors remarked.
About the "Shaping the Future" Symposium
The "Shaping the Future" Symposium featured over 60 sessions focused on four themes: the future of humanity, technology, multipolarity, and civilizations. Bringing together participants from 101 countries—including Russia, India, Italy, Iran, China, the UAE, Serbia, the USA, and France—the symposium is the inaugural event of the National Center "Russia." Established on July 1, 2024, by a directive from Russian President Vladimir Putin, the center aims to preserve the legacy of the "Russia" International Exhibition-Forum and showcase the nation's achievements. For details and live streams, visit future.russia.ru.
