Russia: Adopted Amendments to the National Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence in Russia until 2030 (Decree no. 124)

On 15 February 2024, the President of the Russian Federation adopted decree 124, amending the National Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) until 2030. The amendments aim to promote the development and application of AI technologies in Russia, with a focus on sectors such as healthcare, education, industry, and defence. The strategy aims to increase the readiness of critical industries to implement AI to 95% by 2030, up from 12% in 2022, and to increase annual spending on AI to RUB 850 billion. It also addresses challenges such as a lack of computing power, personnel shortages, and new types of threats in the field of information security. The Amendments outline the types of data to which AI developers should have access. These include medical data, anonymised personal data, industrial data, and data from science, education, and culture. In addition, it defines the primary objectives of AI development in Russia as increasing infrastructure availability, supporting developers and researchers, promoting the introduction of technology in business and society, introducing trustworthy technologies for security, creating a regulatory framework, and strengthening international cooperation. Furthermore, the decree lists the principles that should be followed in the development of the regulatory framework, such as security, respect for autonomy and freedom of human will, and a risk-oriented approach. The decree also states that the delegation of morally responsible decisions to AI systems should not be permissible, and the algorithms and data processing methods should undergo testing and expert assessments to ensure the risks related to bias and risks of discrimination are addressed.