MOSCOW, RUSSIA / RankWire.AI / – On July 17, the Federation Council sanctioned a comprehensive bill establishing a national framework for artificial intelligence in Russia. The legislation outlines criteria for large foundational models and designates authority to government agencies. It also sets standards related to model ownership, domestic data storage, user notification, and AI-generated content. Having passed the State Duma on July 8, the bill now awaits presidential approval and official publication before becoming law at the federal level.
The proposal characterizes a large foundation model as software capable of executing multiple intellectual tasks at a level comparable to humans. To qualify, such systems must contain no fewer than 1 billion parameters. These models can provide information, make decisions, or predict outcomes based on human-set objectives. The framework emphasizes principles like technological sovereignty, human rights, personal choice, security, and legal compliance, applying these across development, deployment, and utilization of qualifying AI technologies.
Legal categories distinguish between sovereign and national models, both linked to Russian oversight. A sovereign model must originate from a Russian legal entity and operate using data centers within the country. Its creators are required to maintain the capability to reproduce the entire development process, including training and original parameters. A national model adheres to similar ownership and localization standards but may incorporate foreign open-license software components, provided Russian entities maintain necessary control and operational capacity.
Legal Designations for Domestic AI Systems
The government might provide assistance to developers involved in creating, deploying, or managing qualifying foundation models. This support could include access to state-held datasets for training purposes. Authorities may also mandate exclusive use of sovereign or national models within government information systems and other sensitive sectors. Additional rules concerning defense, security, public order, and property protection might be established through separate legislation or presidential decrees. The framework assigns oversight responsibilities to government bodies to enforce these requirements within their legal scope.
Large digital platforms are subject to specific obligations regarding AI-generated audio and visual content. Platforms with over 500,000 daily users must offer a tool allowing users to mark such material. This applies to websites, apps, and social media platforms. The regulation does not require automatic labeling of every item but allows developers and users to define notification methods through service agreements. The primary goal is to enable content creators and distributors to disclose qualifying material when necessary.
Standards for Copyright and User Disclosure
AI service providers are required to inform users about rights ownership of generated content. They must also clarify access conditions and whether users are permitted to download or transfer the material. The legislation separately addresses copyrighted works used for machine learning, permitting analysis for extraction, comparison, classification, and pattern detection if lawful access was obtained. Training on protected works is allowed when no technical restrictions preventing access were bypassed. These rules tie model training procedures to existing copyright and access regulations.
Most of these provisions are set to come into force on September 1, 2026, following presidential approval and official publication. Regulations regarding domestic model classification, developer obligations, content labeling, and intellectual property will take effect on March 1, 2027. Existing systems can operate until September 1, 2032, provided they process and store data within Russia. Until the bill is signed and published, it remains an approved draft rather than an enacted law according to Russia’s legislative procedures.