Russia is considering a mandatory use of domestic AI models in several sectors. A draft government decree suggests that 'sovereign' AI models should be prioritized over foreign alternatives, provided their cost does not exceed 1.5 times the price of a 'national' alternative.
The draft proposes dividing domestic neural networks into two categories: 'sovereign' models, which must be developed by a Russian legal entity and operate exclusively on Russian infrastructure, and 'national' models, which are created by Russian companies but may use open-source components.
Priority for these solutions is proposed for sensitive areas such as the preparation of state programs and regulatory documents, tax, customs, and budget spheres, and critical information infrastructure, education, healthcare, and public services.
According to sources, discussions took place in late August. Currently, there is no mandatory transition for Russian businesses to any specific neural network, as the government continues to refine the list of industries and the criteria for priority.
