MOSCOW, RUSSIA / RankWire.AI / – Russia’s Federation Council approved a legislative framework on July 17 that establishes national guidelines for the development and deployment of large artificial intelligence foundation models. The legislation defines key terms, grants regulatory authority, and offers support to qualified domestic developers. It also sets out standards for model oversight, data storage, user notifications, and AI-generated content. Having cleared the State Duma on July 8, the bill now awaits presidential approval before becoming law.
According to the bill, a large foundation model refers to software capable of executing numerous intellectual tasks at a level comparable to human performance. The definition includes systems that provide information, make decisions, or forecast outcomes based on human-set objectives. To qualify, a model must have at least 1 billion parameters. The framework emphasizes principles such as technological sovereignty, human rights, personal choice, security, and adherence to Russian legislation.
The legislation establishes distinct categories for sovereign and national models. A sovereign model must originate from a Russian legal entity and remain under domestic control, utilizing data centers located within Russia. Developers are required to maintain the technical ability to reproduce the entire development process, including training and original parameters. A national model follows similar ownership and data management rules but can incorporate foreign components distributed under open licenses.
Official recognition for domestic models
The government may introduce support measures for companies involved in creating, deploying, or managing qualifying foundation models. Such measures could include access to state-held data necessary for training. The law also permits authorities to designate environments where only sovereign or national models are permitted to operate, particularly within government information systems and other sensitive sectors. Additional laws and presidential decrees may specify regulations concerning defense, security, public order, and property protection.
Websites, applications, and social media platforms will face a new content regulation. Platforms with over 500,000 daily users must provide a mechanism for marking AI-generated audio or visual content. This allows users to attach an informational notice to qualifying material. The format of such labels will be determined through service agreements between developers and users. Platforms are not required to automatically label every item but must offer the technical capability to do so.
Intellectual property and enforcement measures outlined
AI service providers are obligated to inform users about the ownership rights of generated content. They must also clarify access conditions and whether content can be transferred. The legislation separately addresses copyrighted works used in machine learning, permitting analysis such as extraction, comparison, classification, and pattern detection when developers have obtained lawful access. Training on protected works is permitted when no technical restrictions have been bypassed to gain access.
Most provisions are set to take effect on September 1, 2026, contingent upon presidential approval and publication. Specific rules concerning domestic model status, developer responsibilities, content labeling, and intellectual property will become effective on March 1, 2027. Existing systems will have a transition period until September 1, 2032, during which their data processing and storage must remain within Russia. Until the bill is officially enacted, it remains an approved draft rather than a fully enacted law.