The Russian Government Commission has given the green light to the draft law on artificial intelligence: sovereignty and priorities.
On June 22, the government commission on legislative activities approved a document aimed at supporting the development of artificial intelligence in Russia. This is an important step that sets clear guidelines for the entire industry.
The key feature of the bill is its focus on large foundational models containing more than 1 billion parameters. They are divided into two categories: "sovereign" (fully created by Russian legal entities on local infrastructure) and "national" (allowing the use of open-source components). As Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko emphasized, these classes will receive priority state support, especially in sensitive areas such as public administration.
It is important to note that several controversial points have been excluded from the final version of the document. In particular, it was decided to abandon mandatory labeling of synthesized AI-generated content, copyright clauses, and direct restrictions on foreign neural networks. As Grigorenko explained, the project does not provide for a total ban on foreign solutions. Additionally, the category of "trusted" models for critical information infrastructure was removed due to already existing regulatory requirements from the FSTEC and the FSB.
The document is expected to be submitted to the State Duma before the end of this week. The main provisions will come into force on September 1, 2026, while the norms concerning government powers, model definitions, and developer obligations will take effect on March 1, 2027. For already deployed AI systems that do not meet the new criteria, a transition period until September 1, 2032 is provided, provided that data is processed within the territory of the Russian Federation.
Cryptalist Analysis: This bill represents a pragmatic compromise between the pursuit of technological sovereignty and the need not to cut oneself off from global innovation. The exclusion of strict bans and labeling sends a signal to businesses that the state is betting on stimulation rather than isolation. However, the division of models into "sovereign" and "national" clearly indicates where budget funds will go. For the industry, this means that the next 3-5 years will be a time of active construction of proprietary computing infrastructure and the development of local AI solutions, especially in the public sector. The market must be prepared for a new paradigm where priority is given not just to development, but to full control over the value chain.