The Ministry of Economic Development of Russia has prepared a set of draft regulatory acts to implement amendments to the federal law on experimental legal regimes (EPRs), which will come into force on January 5, 2025. These changes aim to improve the regulation of digital innovations, including artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
A key aspect of the amendments is clarifying the procedure for removing participants from experiments, including AI experiments, if they cause harm to life or property. The Ministry of Economy will receive additional powers to suspend the status of EPR subjects based on the conclusion of a special commission of the department, which will assess the damage from the use of AI. These changes include three draft government decrees published this week. They concern simplifying and optimizing the processes of making changes to the EPR, reporting, and preparing proposals for amending the general regulation.
There are 16 EPRs in Russia, 13 of which are dedicated to unmanned aircraft systems. The Ministry of Economy is also considering eight new applications, including AI projects in healthcare and car sharing. EPRs already cover areas such as drones, telemedicine, and other innovations.
The draft new regulatory acts will simplify business access to EPRs and make these regimes more attractive for testing new technologies. The amendments aim to improve control over the safety of technologies, simplify procedures for experiment participants, as well as optimize reporting and clarify the procedure for making changes to regulatory regimes.
The Ministry of Economy continues to develop new proposals for EPRs, including systems for countering drones and medical research. It is expected that the changes in legislation will accelerate the integration of business into experimental regimes and help in testing new technologies. At the same time, experts emphasize the need for active involvement of the business community in the development and discussion of such initiatives.
