The Russian Ministry of Digital Development is drafting regulations to mandate the pre-installation of the Alice AI assistant on smartphones and other devices. The proposed rules define a new category of software called a system assistant, which must be based on a national or sovereign large foundation AI model.
Under the current 2021 law, pre-installed Russian software includes the Yandex Browser, Mail.ru Mail, and the Max messenger. While only app stores are currently classified as non-removable, the new initiative would extend this status to AI assistants, requiring them to have background update capabilities, push notifications, and voice activation.
Yandex reported a fivefold year-over-year increase in Alice AI users as of September 2026. The company supports the ministry's goal of creating equal competitive conditions for domestic and foreign services, noting its ongoing participation in the localization of new mobile devices from international brands.
The RATEK association has requested a suspension of the project, citing the need for a regulatory impact assessment and public discussion. Industry representatives argue that the requirement for background updates may conflict with the security architecture of closed operating systems and pose potential data leakage risks.
Critics of the proposal point out that the draft lacks a transition period for manufacturers. They suggest delaying the implementation of these norms by five months to address technical challenges, such as the potential conflict between granting AI assistants system-wide access and user-defined privacy settings.
