The Russian government, together with business circles, is discussing a radical change to the system of state control. The focus is on introducing a moratorium on on-site inspections for companies that have implemented artificial intelligence-based solutions for remote monitoring at their facilities. In my assessment, this initiative marks a shift from fiscal oversight to technology-oriented auditing, where algorithms take on the role of "digital inspectors."
The essence of the proposal is that the presence of an AI system on site will allow regulatory bodies to assess compliance remotely, without physical presence at the location. The Ministry of Digital Development has confirmed that the measures are being developed, but it is still premature to discuss specific rules. Nevertheless, the direction is clear: reducing administrative pressure on entrepreneurs while maintaining, and possibly increasing, the effectiveness of oversight.
Inspection statistics: a downward trend
The trend toward reducing control activities is already clearly visible. Last year, 273,000 inspections were conducted in Russia—7% fewer than in 2024. More detailed statistics, cited by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko, show that scheduled inspections decreased by 13%, and unscheduled ones by 6%. These figures indicate a systematic move toward deregulation, and AI monitoring could become the next logical step in this direction.
Business readiness and market scale
Russian business is already technically prepared for this format of interaction with the state. According to data from a joint study by the Smart Ranking agency and VK Cloud, about 95% of fast-growing companies use AI as a working tool, and 74% rank it among their top priorities. Notably, in 47% of organizations, the technology strategy is determined by the IT department, and in 40%—by marketing and sales. This shows that AI has penetrated all key business processes.
Infrastructure is also actively developing. 71% of surveyed companies call the cloud a basic condition for creating products, and the next stages are multi-cloud, cost control, and improving fault tolerance. According to estimates from the AIANA agency, the entire AI market in the country amounted to 316.1 billion rubles in 2025, showing growth of 29.7%. The baseline scenario assumes an increase to 830 billion rubles by 2030. At the same time, businesses are increasingly preferring to rent capacity and use ready-made solutions over purchasing equipment.
In parallel, the state is building an institutional framework: rules are being developed for sovereign models, including certification in independent testing laboratories, with the final say resting with the Ministry of Digital Development. Thus, remote AI oversight fits into a unified picture with the overall restructuring of the industry.
My view: Abolishing on-site inspections when AI monitoring is in place is not just a concession to business, but a recognition that algorithms can be more effective than humans in routine control. However, the key risk here is the potential bias of the algorithms themselves and the lack of transparency in their decisions. If the state does not create clear standards for "digital inspection," we risk getting a new round of bureaucracy, only in the form of requirements for the AI systems themselves. Therefore, the success of this initiative will depend not on technology, but on the quality of regulation.