Unlike most modern neural networks focused on working with statisticians, the new system operates with abstract concepts, such as "political stability" and "investment climate", building causal relationships between them. This enables AI to work with "unobservable variables" — factors that cannot be expressed in numbers, but which are critically important for decision-making.

"We are not teaching the system to recognize patterns in data, but are trying to lay the foundation of human strategic thinking in it. When making a decision, the head does not use figures from the report, but such concepts as "stability", "investor confidence", "geopolitical weight" or "social tension". Our system works with such abstractions, building causal relationships between them, just as a human does. The fundamental difference is in understanding, not in recognizing patterns," said Alexander Tselyov.

According to the scientist, the new system will not replace experts, but will become their "intelligent amplifier." The Digital Advisor will be able to instantly calculate dozens of scenarios, identify hidden long-term consequences of decisions, and visualize complex causal relationships in the field of economic policy and crisis management. AI will be trained based on the analysis of texts: news, analytical reports and scientific publications, extracting from them knowledge about the mutual influence of various concepts.

This project is being conducted by the SFedU with the grant support of the Russian Science Foundation (RSF).  In addition, in 2025, as part of the implementation of the federal project "Artificial Intelligence" of the national project "Data Economics and Digital Transformation of the state", the university launched the first bachelor's degree programs to train highly qualified specialists in the field of artificial intelligence.

550 first-year students of the relevant fields took part in the competitive selection for artificial intelligence programs in 2025. 395 people have received the right to study under targeted bachelor's degree programs in the field of AI.

Southern Federal University has committed to graduate at least 500 artificial intelligence specialists in 2029 and 2030 as part of this project. It is important to emphasize that the educational trajectory of students provides for academic mobility: both entry into the standard program and inclusion in the project in subsequent courses, provided that high academic results are demonstrated.

It is planned that in 2026, applicants will enroll directly in this program.