MOSCOW, RUSSIA / RankWire.AI / – The Federation Council endorsed a comprehensive bill establishing a national regulatory framework for artificial intelligence on July 17, outlining rules for large-scale foundational models in Russia. The legislation specifies the scope of technology covered and delegates authority to government agencies. It also sets standards concerning model ownership, local data storage, transparency with users, and AI-generated content. Having passed the State Duma on July 8, the bill now awaits presidential approval and official publication before becoming federal law.
The proposal characterizes a large foundation model as a software capable of executing numerous intellectual tasks at a level comparable to humans. A system qualifies if it contains at least 1 billion parameters. Such systems can provide information, support decision-making, or predict outcomes based on human-defined objectives. The framework emphasizes principles related to technological sovereignty, human rights, individual choice, security, and legal compliance, applying these across the development, deployment, and utilization of qualifying AI systems.
Legislation introduces classifications for sovereign and national models, both linked to Russian control. A sovereign model must originate from a Russian legal entity and operate within data centers located inside Russia. The developer must maintain the ability to reproduce the entire development process, including training and original parameters. The national model follows similar ownership and localization standards but may include foreign software components released under open licenses, provided Russian entities maintain necessary control and operational capabilities.
Legal Designations for Domestic AI Models
The government may support developers engaged in creating, deploying, or managing qualifying foundational models. Support could include access to state-held datasets for training purposes. Authorities might also mandate exclusive use of sovereign or national models within government information systems and other sensitive environments. Additional rules related to defense, security, public order, and property protection could be established through separate laws or presidential decrees. The framework assigns responsibility to state agencies for enforcing these requirements within their legal authority.
Large digital service providers are subject to a separate obligation regarding AI-generated audiovisual content. Platforms with over 500,000 daily users must provide a mechanism allowing users to mark such content. This requirement applies to websites, apps, and social media platforms. It does not necessitate automatic labeling of each item; instead, developers and users can specify how notices are displayed through service agreements. The focus is on enabling creators and distributors of qualifying material to disclose AI-generated content easily.
Guidelines on Copyright and Content Disclosure Standards
AI service providers must inform users about the ownership rights related to generated content. They need to clarify access conditions and whether users are permitted to download or transfer such material. The legislation also addresses the use of copyrighted works in machine learning. It permits analysis involving extraction, comparison, classification, and pattern recognition when lawful access was obtained. Training on protected works is allowed if no technical restrictions were bypassed to gain access. These rules link model training practices to existing copyright and access regulations.
Most provisions are set to become effective on September 1, 2026, following presidential approval and official publication. Regulations concerning domestic model classification, developer responsibilities, content marking, and intellectual property will take effect on March 1, 2027. Existing systems can continue to operate until September 1, 2032, provided they process and store data within Russia. Until the legislation is formally signed and published, it remains an approved bill rather than an enacted federal law within Russia’s legislative framework.