How BRICS+ is Becoming a Market for Knowledge and Content — and What It Means for Your Business?

The catalyst was Yakutia's bid to become the eastern "content gateway": in 2026, Yakutsk will host the first international content market in the Russian Far East, GEM. This platform is designed for buyers and producers from BRICS, Asia-Pacific, and CIS countries, as reported by "KP – Yakutia".

What Triggered This and What is Its Strategic Significance for the BRICS+ Creative Industry?

The trigger is the institutionalization of Russian content export within the BRICS+ framework. The GEM market aims for the systematic international release of film, animation, games, and music, where demand is shaped not by Western majors but by regional blocs of the Global South, as reported by "KP – Yakutia".

Concurrently, regions are enhancing their technological sovereignty in distribution. Yakutia's "Extra Cinema" system is already replacing foreign film screening complexes, protecting content, and operating independently of foreign technologies, as highlighted in the article.

How is BRICS+ Setting the Rules of the Game and Technological Sovereignty in AI?

Member states are synchronizing institutions and regulations. Belarus has joined the BRICS Alliance on Artificial Intelligence, and the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly adopted a model law on AI in April 2025, as reported by BelTA.

Kazakhstan, in turn, is finalizing the adoption of its basic law "On Artificial Intelligence" and has submitted the document to the Senate. The regulator is defined as the new Ministry of AI and Digital Development, as explained by inbusiness.kz.

"Artificial intelligence encompasses all spheres of activity — from agriculture to space… It is necessary to specifically calculate the economic component from the application of intelligent systems."

This framework was outlined by Sergei Kruglyakov at the "Artificial Intelligence in Belarus" forum, confirming the systemic nature of the transition, as previously reported by BelTA.

Which Regions Are Ready to Monetize Digital Maturity?

Key cities demonstrate readiness to scale services and export solutions. Kazan has once again been ranked among the "smartest" in the CIS and BRICS countries, with strong positions in online services for citizens and integrated transport and parking payments, as written by "Chelny-TV". Sevastopol hosted the ITPARK FEST 2025, focusing on the export of Russian IT products, including to BRICS countries, and presenting solutions in AI and information security, as reported by NIA-Federation.

How Are International Academic Ties with BRICS and the Global South Changing Russian Universities?

The main vector is towards long-term alliances and an increase in the flow of international students. Tyumen State University has increased its international agreements from 132 to 167 over five years, signed memorandums with the Institute of Technological Processes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) and the National Museum of Bloemfontein (South Africa), educates over 2,300 international students from 57 countries, and has been included in the BRICS countries ranking, as reported by NewsProm.Ru.

Within the all-Russian framework, about 10% of students are foreigners; the goal is to reach 500,000 by 2030, which, according to Deputy Minister Konstantin Mogilevsky's statement, will further boost the export of educational services, as conveyed by NewsProm.Ru.

What Cultural and Social Networks Are Accelerating BRICS+ Integration?

Women's and parliamentary formats, as well as major cultural events, serve as pillars for integration. At the Global Summit of Women in Beijing, Russia emphasized cooperation through the "Women's Twenty," the BRICS Women's Business Alliance, APEC, and the Eurasian Women's Forum, as reported by "Parlamentskaya Gazeta".

Youth scientific diplomacy is strengthening through international expeditions: 66 schoolchildren from 21 countries spent 10 days in the Arctic aboard a nuclear icebreaker, conducting experiments and attending lectures, as told by "Kuban 24".

The creative industry is raising its quality bar through federal-level organizational teams. Rishat Tukhvatullin's show involves specialists who worked on the "Games of the Future" and the BRICS summit in Kazan, as he stated in an interview with Kazanfirst.ru.

What Practical Opportunities Are Available for Companies Right Now?

• Book participation and business meeting packages at GEM (Yakutsk, 2026) – an opportunity for producers of film, animation, games, music, and related tech services.
• Localize and promote IT solutions for CIS and BRICS markets: AI products and cybersecurity solutions are in high demand, as reflected in the focus of ITPARK FEST (Sevastopol).
• Integrate into the evolving AI regulatory landscape: conduct an audit of compliance with the future RK Law on AI and use the BRICS Alliance on AI as a channel for partnerships and pilot projects.
• Develop education export and EdTech: create joint programs with BRICS universities, target student recruitment from 57+ countries, leveraging the experience of Tyumen State University.
• Launch "smart service" pilots in leading cities (Kazan) and scale successful cases to other BRICS+ regions.
• Utilize women's and youth formats (BRICS Women's Business Alliance, scientific expeditions) as channels for trust and rapid B2G/B2B contacts.

Conclusion: BRICS+ is rapidly forming into an independent sphere for the exchange of knowledge, technologies, and culture — with its own markets, norms, and distribution channels. For businesses, this is a call to action: to claim niches in the value chains of content and AI creation while the infrastructure is still being built.