Alexey Shaposhnikov: The Faster Technology Advances, the More Important It Is to Establish Clear, Reliable Rules in Advance

Alexey Shaposhnikov, chairman of the Moscow City Duma and a member of the Association of Lawyers of Russia, spoke to the IT Russia about why rules for artificial intelligence need to be established in advance, how Moscow’s experimental legal regime for AI operates, and why Russia needs its own AI models. His current position as chairman of the Moscow City Duma is confirmed by official Moscow sources.

– Artificial intelligence and digital platforms have become part of everyday life. This means we need to understand that the faster technology advances, the more important it is to establish clear and reliable rules in advance to protect people, their rights and their safety in the digital environment. That is why the Association of Lawyers of Russia has a Commission on Legislation on Digital Rights and Artificial Intelligence. Our task is to work proactively, and the Moscow City Duma is ready to take part in this effort.

Moscow is one of the places where such work is taking place: the city has an experimental legal regime for AI, with more than 130 projects implemented, ranging from transportation to health care. Regulating technological development requires precision and a professional approach. The task of lawmakers is not simply to respond to problems after they arise, but to establish balanced rules in advance – without unnecessary barriers to development while protecting citizens’ rights.

Above all, the country needs to ensure technological sovereignty, so that AI models are developed by us, are our own, and operate on servers located within our territory with secure communication channels. Moscow is already taking part in developing solutions that will help close legal gaps and create conditions for advancing domestic technologies without dependence on foreign software.