The Russian government is finalising criteria for classifying AI systems as ‘national models’, potentially granting large domestic tech giants a decisive advantage over smaller startups, amidst a broader push for strategic technology control.
The Russian government is close to settling the rules for which artificial intelligence systems will qualify as “national models”, in a move that could give large domestic technology groups an advantage over smaller rivals. According to Computerra, the criteria are being worked out with industry representatives and will form part of a subordinate decree overseen by the Ministry of Digital Development, with a final version expected by autumn 2026.
Under the draft approach, a Russian legal entity would need exclusive rights to the model’s core elements, including its architecture, network design, training and operating code, and context-window settings. That level of control would allow a company to modify the system, rebuild it from scratch if needed, retrain it and run it on its own infrastructure. The use of open-source components or third-party tools would still be permitted, but only within limits that preserve Russian ownership of the key technology.
The policy reflects a broader push in Moscow to define different classes of AI systems and reserve state backing for those deemed strategically important. In March, the Ministry of Digital Development published a draft law on AI regulation that introduced the concepts of sovereign, national and trusted models, while indicating that foreign systems would face tighter limits in critical sectors such as healthcare, infrastructure and public administration. By June, reports suggested the draft had been pared back and refocused on support for major Russian developers, with smaller open-
Industry estimates cited by Computerra suggest that about 90% of domestic AI projects rely on open-source code, especially among start-ups, which means the new requirements could be beyond the reach of many smaller teams. That would leave large ecosystem players best placed to secure national-model status, which is seen mainly as a route to state data access and major public contracts. According to later reporting by Chinese state media and other outlets, the State Duma has since moved on legislation establishing a formal legal framework for large foundation models, with sovereign and national categories carrying different obligations and timelines for compliance.
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