AI-powered smartphones are carving out a bigger slice of Russia’s retail phone market. MegaFon, one of the country’s largest mobile operators, reports that the share of AI-enabled models in its lineup jumped from 6.5% to 16% over the past year, with sales climbing 27%. Yet, these devices remain a niche-only 2.8% of Russians actually use smartphones with built-in AI features.
MegaFon’s data only counts models where AI capabilities are fully functional within Russia. That’s an important distinction because many foreign brands rely on cloud-based services with regional restrictions. On paper, a phone might claim AI features, but in practice, they don’t always work in Russia due to these limitations.
The bulk of AI smartphone users fall between 37 and 47 years old, making up 40% of the owners. Younger adults aged 25 to 36 represent 22%, followed by those 48 to 58 at 21%. Men dominate ownership with 58%, compared to 42% for women.
Growth of AI smartphones in MegaFon’s lineup
MegaFon sees the most comprehensive AI toolkits on flagship phones, which explains the relatively small user base. Generative AI features-the kind that create content or assist with complex tasks-are still mostly reserved for premium models, though the selection is expanding. For some perspective, global research from Canalys indicates that about 16% of smartphone shipments in 2024 have AI capabilities, while Counterpoint forecasts generative AI phones could account for 30% of shipments by 2025. The Russian market is clearly starting to catch up, but the pace at which AI functions trickle down into mid-range phones will be key to wider adoption.
Challenges for AI smartphone adoption in Russia
Compared to Western markets dominated by Apple, Samsung, and Google, Russia’s AI smartphone segment is smaller but rapidly evolving. Local factors like limited cloud AI services and a conservative buyer base shape the pace of growth. How quickly mid-tier devices gain sophisticated AI could reshape Russia’s smartphone market over the next few years.