en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Russian government has published a draft resolution on granting the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media (Минцифры) the status of a unified regulatory body in the field of artificial intelligence. The draft amends the 2008 regulations concerning the ministry and is planned to take effect on September 1, 2026. If approved, approximately 28,000 IT enterprises across Russia will be subject to regulation.
According to the draft, the Ministry of Digital Development will acquire 20 new functions, including: formulating national policy and legislation in the field of artificial intelligence; drafting specialized laws and supporting regulations; coordinating normative documents related to artificial intelligence from other departments; determining support measures for developers, such as tax incentives and subsidies; regulating access to government data required for training AI models; participating in the development of talent training and educational standards; ensuring the provision of AI technologies to users through the "State Tech" (ГосТех) platform; and promoting international cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence.
Within the Ministry of Digital Development, a new AI department will be established, responsible for deploying neural network solutions in the public sector, while existing departments will continue to focus on optimizing neural networks themselves. Previously, most work related to artificial intelligence was handled by the Ministry of Economic Development (Минэкономразвития), but was transferred to the Ministry of Digital Development several months ago.
Regarding regulatory costs and scope of impact, up to nearly 28,000 enterprises may be subject to regulation, including legal entities and individual entrepreneurs (excluding micro-enterprises) engaged in software development and information technology. The draft's authors estimate that enterprises may incur costs ranging from 300 million to 3 billion rubles over the next six years, but the document notes that this assessment is hypothetical. The resolution is a framework document, introducing no specific mandatory requirements, and merely identifies the government department responsible for this direction.
The establishment of a unified regulatory body is part of a larger process the government has been advancing since early 2026. In March of this year, the Russian Ministry of Digital Development submitted a framework draft law on the foundations of state regulation of artificial intelligence, which for the first time legally defined artificial intelligence and introduced classifications for "sovereign models," "state models," and "trustworthy models." During the drafting process, discussions were held on harmful content labeling, mandatory model certification, and three classifications of AI models. In June of this year, the document's content was reduced from 21 to 13 articles, with mandatory content labeling and restrictions on foreign technology being removed.
The emergence of a unified regulatory body may simplify processes for developers, allowing them to coordinate through a single window rather than with multiple departments. However, there are concerns that overly strict regulation could hinder industry development. Additionally, according to a report by the Russian business daily RBC in May of this year, the Ministry of Digital Development is undergoing restructuring, planning to cut 15% of its staff and formally transfer some of its powers to the Federal Security Service (ФСБ). The centralization of AI regulatory authority is proceeding amid a redistribution of power between security and digital departments.
The draft resolution is currently in the public discussion phase. Until September 1, the market has time to consider its potential implications.
