David Yang: Armenia has every chance of becoming one of the world's innovation capitals

YEREVAN, October 14. /ARKA/. David Yang, a prominent technology visionary and the founder of ABBYY and Yva.ai, asserts that Armenia possesses all the essential elements to transform into a worldwide innovation hub.

In an exclusive interview with ARKA, he elaborated on why the foundation of the country's technological future hinges on education, multiculturalism, and a welcoming attitude towards the world, while also revealing his intentions to set up an office in Armenia.

ARKA: Armenia has been making significant strides in its IT sector in recent years. What measures, in your view, will facilitate the transition from a "favorable startup environment" to the position of a technology leader?

David Yang: I believe that, above all, we must focus on education. This is an aspect that Armenia has taken pride in for centuries, and it has maintained this cultural legacy. This remains critically important during such transformative periods. We are discussing education that incorporates practical involvement in daily life. The second crucial element is the financial ecosystem. In this regard, Armenia benefits greatly from the support of the Diaspora, a vast number of individuals who have achieved success abroad and are now eager to foster innovation at home.

Additionally, the venture climate requires enhancement. I am convinced that Armenia has all the vital components to become a global capital, or at the very least, one of the world's innovation capitals, akin to Israel or Finland, which are also small nations where, so to speak, the necessary stars have aligned. For instance, when Israelis are asked why Jerusalem became the IT capital of the world, they respond that every startup was designed for a global audience.

The principle of "Think Global, Act Local" is a crucial aspect. This means that while keeping an eye on the international market, one must also ensure the satisfaction of local businesses and consumers right in their vicinity. Armenia possesses all the requisite ingredients. Furthermore, the current geopolitical landscape appears to be stabilizing. This initiative will significantly accelerate development across the board.

"ARKA" - What are your thoughts on the proposal to establish a $500 million AI Data Center in Armenia? Could this serve as a catalyst for growth throughout the ecosystem, encompassing universities and businesses?

David Yang - Absolutely. I previously discussed the ambitious concept of an AI city in Armenia. The vision was for it to be the sole location globally where 70,000 families from various nations, specifically data engineers, could reside, work, and contribute their biological and other data to the city's "piggy bank" for processing. While I do not believe this concept can be swiftly realized, initial steps are already underway, such as the establishment of a data center. This represents a substantial advancement.

"ARKA" - Some individuals assert that a million robots could operate in Armenia. What is your perspective on this? Is this notion still pertinent?

David Yang: These estimates were provided by the leading manufacturers of bipedal robots, and they have since been revised upwards. Should the geopolitical climate in Armenia stabilize, and should communication, transportation, and other connections be established, I believe significant developments will occur in Armenia.

ARKA - You frequently emphasize the significance of education. What challenges do you currently observe in Armenia's technological education system, and what solutions do you propose?

David Yang - I cannot assert that I perceive any major issues. To be frank, the primary challenge likely stems from Armenia's historical monoculturalism. In other words, Armenia has traditionally been a nation characterized by a single language and culture. While this has its advantages, it poses limitations from an innovation standpoint. The groundbreaking technologies that emerged in the Soviet Union were a result of the collaboration among 15 republics. Individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds converged in Chernogolovka, Pushchino, and other scientific hubs. A similar scenario is evident in Silicon Valley, where 80% of engineers and innovators hail from various backgrounds. But every cloud has a silver lining: due to recent events in neighboring countries, up to 100,000 talented people, particularly from Russia, have migrated to Armenia. And this, of course, should be taken advantage of. But that's not enough.

ARKA - Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept; it is already integrated into our everyday lives. During your presentation at Digitec 2025, you mentioned that 44 professions face the threat of extinction due to advancements in AI. Nevertheless, you assert that individuals need not worry about their employment; they possess unique contributions that AI cannot replicate. 

David Yang - Indeed, collaboration is inevitable. For every billion biological workers globally, there will be approximately 300 million non-biological workers, possibly more. This indicates that there will be an increase in the number of individuals generating value on our planet. Consequently, this will lead to an expansion of leisure days to four. People will utilize their free time for travel, creativity, innovative ideas, and projects—essentially, they will not remain inactive. Our neural network has progressed to such an extent that the traits of 'novelty seeking and risk taking' have become ingrained in human nature. Thus, there will always be individuals in society who are engaged. Presently, individuals in developed nations are no longer at risk of starvation, yet they remain active and are accomplishing significant achievements. 

ARKA - You expressed your enthusiasm about being in Armenia, the place where you were raised and educated. As a successful entrepreneur, if you were to launch a startup today, would you choose Armenia as your base? 

David Yang - In today's world, the notion of 'succeeding in Armenia or elsewhere' is obsolete. Startups are established in the cloud, representing international, remote initiatives. While we are still contemplating making Armenia one of our operational bases, the small and homogeneous population often limits that option. The nation should aim to attract talented individuals from various countries. 

ARKA - What's the most promising area for startups right now? 

David Yang - Well, there's no need to guess. It's, of course, AI in all its forms. Even if we're talking about biotechnology, agriculture, engineering, or something else, it will definitely be related to artificial intelligence.-0-