Prompt of changes: Russian AI models will receive state support
Russian developers of large AI models will receive new opportunities for government support after the law on the development of artificial intelligence technologies comes into force. The authorities will simplify obtaining the status of a national and sovereign neuromodel, and plan to develop a single set of test tasks to verify solutions and open it to all developers. According to Izvestia, MWS AI, T-Bank and other market players will be able to apply for the new status and related support measures.
A single test for domestic AI models
The authorities, together with business, are discussing the rules for assigning national and sovereign status to AI models, the ANO Digital Economy reported. One of the proposals was the creation of a unified assessment methodology and a reference set of test tasks, which is planned to be publicly available and regularly updated. This will allow developers to understand in advance the criteria by which the models will be evaluated.
The Ministry of Finance, together with other departments, is preparing by-laws that will determine the procedure for accounting for AI models, assigning them status and confirming compliance with established requirements, the ministry's press service confirmed. The Law on the Development of AI technologies stipulates requirements for a Russian developer, localization of data processing and storage infrastructure, control over development, as well as compliance with the country's legislation and traditional spiritual and moral values.
It will enter into force in stages: the main part of the rules begins to take effect on September 1, 2026, and the requirements for labeling content, sovereign models and intellectual property on March 1, 2027.
The examination of models for compliance with the conditions will be able to be carried out by several organizations that have been duly verified by the state, specified in the ANO "Digital Economy".
"The key criterion for assigning national and sovereign status to AI models should not be the origin of the code, but control over the lifecycle of the model," says Chulpan Gossamova, Director General of the organization.
According to her, the use of foreign components with open licenses is acceptable if the Russian developer independently determines and modifies the essential characteristics of the model. At the same time, the company must maintain the ability to independently develop and maintain the solution, even if external components are unavailable.
The authorities also intend to reduce the administrative burden on developers. In particular, companies will be allowed to provide missing documents after submitting an application. In addition, it is proposed to exclude some of the redundant information, including information about whether the model was trained on data from government information systems, the ANO Digital Economy told Izvestia.
The infrastructure requirement is discussed separately. It will be enough for the developer to own or lease a data center or other legal basis for its use. In this case, the data center must be located on the territory of Russia and belong to a domestic legal entity.
"The preparation of by-laws will determine the procedure for the mandatory application of national and sovereign models by government agencies and organizations, as well as measures to support the development, implementation and use of domestic AI solutions, including for businesses," the press service of the Ministry of Finance said.
Following consultations with businesses, the first two areas of application of Russian AI models have already been agreed upon - education and the provision of public services. We are talking about the use of neural networks directly in the educational process, as well as the processing of citizens' requests and remote interaction with them. The relevant decision is planned to be formalized by a government decree.
Simplification of AI requirements
T-Bank believes that the use of Russian models in public services will allow developers to apply for government orders and financing, and in education it is important to monitor AI responses on issues of history, ethics and values. At the same time, the company has not yet disclosed specific plans for implementing its own solutions in these areas.
— Such areas are motivated by the two main objectives of the law. Firstly, the support of Russian developers of large fundamental models — their use in public services will allow development companies to apply for government orders and financing in this way. Secondly, the control of the use of artificial intelligence in educational products," said Alexey Shpilman, Director of Artificial Intelligence Technology Development at T—Technologies.
The large Cotype language models developed by MWS AI, a subsidiary of MTS, meet the requirements for national models, and the company itself plans to participate in their certification after the launch of the procedure.
"Special attention in the latest generation of Cotype Pro 3 models is paid to safe behavior — correct refusals to provocative requests," the company's press service said.
T1 notes that the law will make the market clearer for developers, customers and investors, but many details have yet to be defined in the by-laws. In particular, we are talking about the criteria for recognizing the Russian model and responsibility for AI errors.
— The law does not impose a complete ban on foreign decisions. The government will separately identify cases when it will be possible to use only Russian models," said Sergey Karpovich, Deputy Head of T1 AI.
According to him, such requirements may mean additional costs for companies to replace and integrate solutions, especially in narrow areas where domestic models are still inferior to foreign ones.
The experts surveyed note that domestic AI will help make citizens' interaction with the state and educational institutions faster and more personalized. Another important effect will be to reduce technological dependence on foreign AI models and enhance the security of Russians' data.
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