Russia to Criminalize Fraudulent Use of AI as Cybercrime Countermeasures Expand

As cybercriminals adopt AI to dodge detection, Russia is drafting legislation to make such abuse a criminal offense—and deploying cutting-edge defenses to fight back.

Russia is escalating its battle against phone and online fraud, leveraging domestic IT advancements to counter increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals. The country’s new defenses were highlighted at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where experts emphasized the shift toward a high-tech arms race between law enforcement and fraudsters.

According to industry analysts, Russian systems are already blocking unwanted calls, emails, and messenger scams using AI-driven filters and detection tools. But criminals are fighting back with artificial intelligence of their own—developing evasive technologies designed to bypass traditional safeguards.

In response, lawmakers are preparing a bill that would introduce criminal liability for the use of AI in fraudulent schemes. The legislation aims to close a growing legal loophole and treat tech-enabled fraud with the seriousness it now demands.

Additionally, a unified national information system is in development to coordinate efforts between mobile carriers, banks, and government agencies. This system will target fraudulent traffic, deploy real-time speech analytics, and enable operators to cut off scam calls and chats on the fly.

The message from officials is clear: combating cybercrime in Russia now hinges on both legal reform and technological superiority.