🧠 AI Reshapes the Media and Social Network Economy

According to a joint study by Rostelecom, the Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF), and the Internet Development Institute (IRI), users spent up to 93% of their time in 2025 consuming professional content curated and delivered by artificial intelligence.

Generative AI and algorithmic management are rewriting the rules of the game across all sectors. Traditional video platforms are forced to adopt a “dual-streaming” approach, combining classic horizontal video with vertical mobile content. In search, the integration of neural network modules and chat-bots directly into browsers is driving down organic traffic and reducing click-throughs to external sites—dealing a heavy blow to the business models of media outlets, online stores, and classifieds.

Against this backdrop, global momentum toward strict digital regulation is building. Following Australia’s pioneering ban on social media access for minors in late 2025, nearly a dozen other countries passed similar restrictions in 2026. Simultaneously, there is a surging demand on platforms for AI-generated content labeling and deepfake detection technologies, as users increasingly push back against the dominance of synthetic material in search of authentic human connection.

Alexey Mitkin, Director for Strategic Programs and Innovative Development at Rostelecom, noted that these shifts mark a fundamental paradigm change: the market has transitioned from a model where “the user seeks content” to one where “the platform curates and generates content itself.”

According to Mitkin, the near future will see competition shift away from individual apps toward expansive ecosystems capable not only of monetizing services, but also of securing and retaining audience trust.