Today I Am Much More Optimistic About Armenia's Future: Pashinyan

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the company "Renderforest" operating in the field of information technology. During the tour, company leaders noted that it is an online design platform where users can create videos, graphics, presentations, as well as websites. It was stated that "Renderforest" uses integrated artificial intelligence and machine learning modules, enabling users to create websites and videos in just minutes. It was reported that "Renderforest" is utilized in 180 countries around the world, with approximately 26 million users globally. Every day, 15,000 new users join the platform. Throughout its operation, the company has managed to attract about $35 million in investments to Armenia. It was mentioned that the platform can be used for free, but paid add-ons are offered to support the company’s financial inflows. The leading countries in sales include the USA, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Russia, Turkey, and others.

In 2019, "Renderforest" was included in G2's list of the 100 best software companies in the world, being the only Armenian company on that list. Prime Minister Pashinyan was also presented with the activities of the "Ardi" academy founded by "Renderforest." This educational initiative is aimed at teaching key digital professions related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Armenia. The academy covers more than ten specializations in marketing, design, and IT, along with courses in entrepreneurship, algorithmic thinking, English, and more.

Following this, Prime Minister Pashinyan answered questions from the company's employees. In his speech, he expressed gratitude for the invitation and stated that he was impressed by the company’s activities. Nikol Pashinyan added that he believes the environment is the most crucial factor for any process. "Of course, the environment primarily consists of people, but the physical, urban environment also influences thinking," the Prime Minister said.

The head of the government stated that he wishes to make a declaration that might seem strange to many. "That optimism and strange declaration is as follows: I must confess that today I am much more optimistic about Armenia's future than I was in 2018 or 2019. I am sure this will sound strange to many, and I am making this public statement for the first time to emphasize the importance of the environment. In 2018 and 2019, when I thought about the future, I found myself in a dead end regarding the paths leading to the future—seeing no continuation or envisioning something else," said the Prime Minister.

Nikol Pashinyan noted that the situation today is somewhat different because he sees numerous risks, but he also sees the opportunity to overcome and manage those risks, which results in a continuation of the future path. "So, what is the end of that path, or what is the theoretical purpose of that path that we want to implement in practice? We call it the Concept of the Real Armenia, which has a direct connection with the notion of the state, implying that the Republic of Armenia and the state, in general, have a very practical purpose and are tools for ensuring the well-being of their citizens. It is not a tool or a platform for having a larger or more expansive state, but rather a mechanism for ensuring the well-being of citizens within internationally recognized borders, with the understanding that well-being encompasses freedom, justice, security, and other concepts derived from these three main concepts," emphasized the Prime Minister.

Nikol Pashinyan stated that well-being is something shaped by work. According to the head of government, the next fundamental issue in our reality is the perception of work. "So, what is work? Is work suffering, torment, or is it, after all, pleasure, self-expression, freedom, and creativity—a situation where a person can think about work before going to bed at night?" said the Prime Minister, reiterating the importance of the environment in this regard.

The questions directed at Nikol Pashinyan revolved around raising education quality, existing issues, steps to address them, the development of the information technology sector, the government’s programs in that direction, artificial intelligence, and other topics.