Russia Is Using AI to Hunt Down Debtors

Russian courts are rolling out an AI-powered tool to track down debtors and their assets, signaling how aggressively the country is leaning on digital systems for governance.

Arbitration managers in Russia now have access to a new digital platform designed to gather information on debtors and their property. The system, which is already being actively deployed in the Moscow suburb of Krasnogorsk and across the wider Moscow region, builds on an earlier service launched in 2023.

That original platform helped court-appointed managers locate debtors. The latest version adds an AI layer: the neural network scans regional and municipal databases, cross-checks documents, and flags potential errors in filings.

The tool is part of a broader digital push in the Moscow region. Officials say residents already have access to 73 online services, ranging from welfare applications to obtaining household registration records — reportedly the most popular request. Citizens can also use digital services to submit paperwork for apartment or home privatization, along with a growing number of housing and utility-related operations.