A serious scandal is brewing around "Alisa AI." Against the backdrop of discussions in the Ministry of Digital Development about an initiative to grant the voice assistant expanded rights on smartphones, tablets, and smart speakers of Russians, Yandex hastened to issue official clarifications. The key message: the neural network does not and will not have any "unlimited" access to sensitive data, including banking applications.
Yandex's Position: Security Above All
Boris Ryutin, who is responsible at the company for the security of "Alisa AI" and autonomous vehicles, emphasized that the assistant's capabilities on mobile devices are always strictly limited by the operating system's architecture. Access is possible exclusively to those functions for which the user has given explicit consent. According to him, "Alisa" has no advantages over foreign counterparts and only has the basic set of functions available to any pre-installed application.
Ryutin also noted that the device owner always retains the right to choose a voice assistant — Russian or foreign. This is a fundamental principle that, in his opinion, should not be violated.
The Essence of the Initiative: Risks of Monopolization
The cause for concern was a draft resolution that was discussed in the Ministry of Digital Development back in late August. It concerns the possible inclusion of "Alisa AI" in the list of mandatory pre-installed software with expanded powers. Market analysts see this as a direct threat of monopolization: if the assistant gains access to system functions, notifications, and, most alarmingly, banking utilities, it would place it in a unique position compared to other programs.
My concerns here relate not only to privacy but also to the market architecture. Granting one corporation exclusive rights to a "system assistant" creates a precedent that could stifle competition in its infancy.
Context: Pre-installation as the Norm
Let me remind you that the requirement to pre-install Russian software on new devices has been in effect since spring 2021. The list is regularly updated: in July 2026, it included Yandex Browser, Yandex Maps, 2GIS, Mail.ru Mail, and others. "Alisa AI" is already present on this list. However, the draft law, which unexpectedly disappeared from the regulatory legal acts portal after public discussion, proposed something more — granting the assistant access to data and functions beyond the standard scope.
The Ministry of Digital Development explained the need for the innovations by citing "transparent access rules" and the fight against advantages of built-in solutions from foreign manufacturers. However, judging by Yandex's reaction, the company is not ready to take on such high risks, fully aware of the extent of responsibility for the safety of user data.
My conclusion: Yandex's public denial is not only reputation protection but also a clear signal to the regulator. The company demonstrates readiness for dialogue but clearly does not wish to become a tool for creating unequal conditions in the AI assistant market. The question of who will control the "digital butler" in every home remains open, and its resolution will require the closest public attention.