More than 700 people — including of leading IT companies employees, students, faculty members, and digital transformation enthusiasts —participated in the interregional forum “IT Transformation 2025: Professionals of the Digital Future.” The official opening ceremony was held on October 9 in the concert hall of Altai State University (AtSU).
The forum is organized by the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications of Altai Krai, the Altai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Altai State University.
On behalf of the Governor, Yuri Abdullaev, Deputy Chairman of Altai Krai Government welcomed the participants:
"Today our country has achieved notable success in technological leadership and ensuring technological sovereignty. We have our own search engines, messaging platforms, national payment and banking systems, and social networks — capabilities possessed by fewer countries than those in the so-called ‘nuclear club. The work of those who ensure our technological sovereignty is highly valued. The Government of Altai Krai supports projects focused on applying advanced technologies and training skilled professionals, because people and technology are the two key pillars of success in digitalization. I am confident that today’s ‘IT Transformation 2025’ forum will mark the beginning of new partnerships and ideas. The regional government will continue to support their implementation.”
Boris Chesnokov, President of the Altai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, noted the Chamber’s 18-year role in organizing the forum:
“We began back when digitalization was not on the public agenda. Back then, not everyone had a mobile phone — and it was only used for calls. We couldn’t have imagined that one day it would replace both our computer and our camera. Eighteen years later, we can no longer imagine life outside the digital world. Today, the digital realm drives progress in every field. By involving regional universities, we’ve managed to create a platform that continues to thrive for the 18th year in a row. I’m sure today’s forum will foster discussion and generate practical ideas that will take shape in real projects.”
AltSU Rector Sergey Bocharov emphasized that this year’s forum is devoted to IT education, with many sessions across university venues and other educational institutions:
“Universities joined this agenda several years ago, when the goal was set to train hundreds of thousands of new IT specialists by 2030. We have launched new academic programs, competitions, hackathons, and Olympiads. ASU graduates enter the job market with strong IT skills.
Yet we work under challenging conditions — to prepare in-demand IT professionals, we literally have to stay ahead of time. That’s why we collaborate closely with IT companies so that our students can work on real-world cases and gain practical experience.
We’re constantly attracting new partners, including through our IT forum. This year we’ve organized cyber battles, the final round of a digital startup contest, an AI industrial hackathon, and the Aerodrive drone racing championship. So, the forum is not just about discussions — it’s about hands-on engagement. I wish everyone productive results!”
The forum’s plenary session featured a “scientific stand-up”, where leading experts shared their reflections on the digital future — the opportunities and risks posed by cutting-edge information technologies.
Anton Vasilyev, Human Rights Commissioner for Altai Krai and Professor at the Department of Theory and History of State and Law, spoke about the transformations taking place in today’s world:
“Why do we create new IT products? Why do we move toward informatization and seek solutions through artificial intelligence? We make our lives easier, freeing up time for more meaningful pursuits — for me, that’s creativity.
At the same time, I’m convinced that our drive toward new technologies stems from limited resources and the need to reduce costs — the economic factor is often decisive. We now live in a virtual environment that’s already quite real — we increasingly communicate through messengers and social networks. Transformation is happening in education, and indeed, in almost every sphere of life.”
The next speaker was Andrey Masalovich, Russian scientist, recognized cybersecurity expert, entrepreneur, and leading lecturer on internet intelligence and information analysis — known online as CyberGrandpa. He stressed that success today belongs to those who can adapt faster than the world changes. Masalovich discussed the growing use of AI in municipal, federal, and even military contexts, citing an example from China where a surveillance system mistakenly issued a fine to a woman whose photograph appeared on the side of a bus. He noted that robots remain far from replacing humans in many professions. He also spoke about the digital footprints we leave every day and how they have driven technological breakthroughs — such as the emergence of OSINT (Open Source Intelligence).
Vladimir Zavertaylov, CEO of Sibirix (a company specializing in website, e-commerce, web service, and mobile app development), highlighted that knowledge is humanity’s greatest asset:
“From right here in Barnaul, with interest, passion, and hard work, you can achieve a lot. Our company ranks among the top ten developers in Russia and regularly wins prizes in IT competitions. From here, you have a real chance to work with major global clients like Adobe, Logitech, Ralf Ringer, Greenfield, and others.
A critical meta-skills for any successful professional is communication. Don’t be afraid to create your own products and start startups. Yes, it’s hard — but it’s possible. What helps most isn’t motivation, but discipline, planning, systematic thinking, and — a good mentor.”
Following the plenary session, participants joined thematic sections, including:
IT Project Practice: Cases, Implementation, Results
Cyber Resilience Amid Growing Threats
Artificial Intelligence: Is There Life After 2027?
Career Management in IT: From Student to Senior Professional
Telecom Operators on the Threshold of Tomorrow
Unmanned Aerial Systems: Driving Economic Development
Interregional Cyber Game with V.V. Komarov
Collaboration Café
Data Responsibility 2025: Operators’ Realities
Digital Technologies as a Source of Inspiration for Creative Industries.