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Russia Proposes Restrictions on Foreign AI Models Like ChatGPT and Gemini to Uphold “Traditional Values”
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Russia’s Ministry for Digital Development has proposed new regulations that could lead to the banning or restriction of foreign AI technologies, such as Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini, within the country, Reuters reported on March 20.
The proposed rules aim to increase state control over the artificial intelligence sector and prevent foreign influence, aligning with Russia’s broader efforts to establish a “sovereign internet” shielded from external forces and designed to uphold what Moscow calls “traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.”
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In a statement, the Ministry for Digital Development explained that the new regulations are intended to “help protect citizens from covert manipulation and discriminatory algorithms,” according to Reuters.
The proposed regulations are expected to benefit domestic AI tools developed by Russian entities such as state lender Sberbank and technology group Yandex.
As part of the measures, the Ministry for Digital Development has stated, “The operation of cross-border artificial intelligence technologies may be prohibited or restricted in cases specified by the legislation of the Russian Federation,” Reuters reported.
The new rules could have significant implications for foreign AI models that rely on data processing outside of Russia. According to Russia’s state-run news agency, RIA, foreign AI models, such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, would fall under these regulations because they involve transferring user data, queries, and dialogues abroad.
Kirill Dyakov, a specialized technology lawyer, explained that these foreign AI tools, developed by US companies OpenAI, Anthropic, and Alphabet's Google, process data from Russian citizens outside the country, making them subject to the new legislation.
“Cross-border artificial intelligence technologies refer to all foreign AI models, including ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, where the use of such models results in user data, queries, and dialogues being transmitted to the developers of these models outside Russia,” Dyakov told RIA, as reported by Reuters.
However, some foreign AI tools, such as China's Qwen or DeepSeek, could be adapted for use within Russia's closed environment, according to Dyakov. These platforms could be integrated into the proprietary infrastructure of Russian government organizations and companies, the outlet reported.
In the related development, OpenAI revealed that it had taken action to dismantle a network of accounts associated with the Russian project “Rybar,” which utilized its models to create content for organized disinformation campaigns.
OpenAI reported that, in a case study labeled “Fish Food,” it had suspended several ChatGPT accounts connected to the “Rybar” network, with some of the activities believed to have originated from Russia.
The accounts generated posts in various languages, including Russian, English, and Spanish, and some of the content was distributed via accounts linked to the “Rybar” brand.
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