MOSCOW, RUSSIA / RankWire.AI / – The Federation Council has sanctioned a comprehensive national bill establishing rules for artificial intelligence in Russia on July 17. This legislation sets out criteria for large foundation models and grants authority to government agencies. It also outlines standards related to model ownership, local data storage, user disclosures, and AI-produced content. Having been approved by the State Duma on July 8, the bill now awaits presidential approval and official publication before becoming law.
The proposal characterizes a large foundation model as software capable of executing a wide range of cognitive tasks at a level comparable to humans. To qualify, a system must have at least 1 billion parameters. Such models can provide information, aid in decision-making, or predict outcomes based on human-set objectives. The framework emphasizes principles of technological sovereignty, human rights, individual choice, security, and legal compliance, which apply throughout the development, deployment, and utilization of qualifying AI systems.
The legislation classifies models into sovereign and national categories linked to Russian oversight. A sovereign model must originate from a Russian legal entity and operate on data centers within Russia. Its creators must maintain the capacity to reproduce the entire development process, including training and original parameters. A national model adheres to similar ownership and localization standards but may include foreign software components released under open licenses, provided Russian entities maintain necessary control and operational authority.
Legal Designations for Domestic AI Systems
The government might support developers engaged in creating, deploying, or managing qualifying foundation models. Support could include granting access to state-owned datasets for training purposes. Authorities may also mandate the exclusive use of sovereign or national models in governmental information systems and other sensitive environments. Additional regulations for defense, security, public order, and property protection might be established through separate laws or presidential decrees. The framework assigns responsibility for enforcing these requirements to relevant state agencies within their legal scope.
Providers of large digital services are subject to a separate regulation concerning AI-generated audio and visual content. Platforms with over 500,000 daily users must include a feature allowing users to mark such content. This applies to websites, applications, and social media platforms. It does not require automatic labeling of every piece, but developers and users can agree on the format of notices through service agreements. The core aim is to enable users to disclose qualifying material when creating or sharing it.
Standards for Copyright and Content Disclosure
AI service providers are obliged to inform users about the ownership rights of generated content. They must also clarify access terms and whether users are permitted to download or transfer the material. The legislation separately addresses the use of copyrighted works in machine learning, allowing analysis for extraction, comparison, classification, and pattern detection if developers have lawful access. Training on protected works is permitted when no technical restrictions are bypassed and lawful access is maintained. The rules connect model training practices with existing copyright and access regulations.
Most provisions are set to take effect on September 1, 2026, following presidential approval and official publication. Regulations concerning domestic model classification, developer responsibilities, content labeling, and intellectual property rights will come into force on March 1, 2027. Existing systems may operate until September 1, 2032, provided they process and store data within Russia. Until the formal approval and publication are completed, the measure remains an approved bill rather than an officially enacted federal law under Russia’s legislative process.