Russia Is Considering Formal Rules for Using AI in Schools and Universities
Lawmakers want to bring AI out of a legal gray zone in education, setting clear standards for how neural networks can be used in classrooms without replacing teachers.
Russian lawmakers are discussing whether and how artificial intelligence should be formally allowed in schools and universities. Yaroslav Nilov, head of the State Duma’s committee on labor, social policy, and veterans’ affairs, has sent a letter to the country’s science and higher education minister proposing to officially define acceptable uses of AI in education.
The initiative aims to establish clear rules for how neural networks can be applied in both secondary and higher education, rather than leaving schools and universities in a regulatory gray area.
Catching Up With the Economy and Government
According to Nilov, AI-based technologies are already widely used across the economy and public administration, while the education system has largely been left behind. He stressed that the proposal is not about replacing teachers, but about giving students legal digital tools for learning and working with information.
In his letter, Nilov suggested creating a unified digital platform that would list AI services approved for educational use. These tools would need to meet Russian requirements for security and quality, as well as ensure transparency. That includes the ability to trace information sources and disclose which AI models were used to generate educational materials.
Plagiarism—and AI Detection
One section of the proposal focuses on Russia’s plagiarism-detection system, Antiplagiat. Nilov argues that it should be upgraded to identify texts generated with the help of AI. At the same time, he emphasizes that enforcement should focus not on the mere use of neural networks, but on the level of original work involved—distinguishing independent analysis from simple copying of AI-generated answers.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Education of Russia has taken a more restrictive approach. On January 24, the ministry prepared draft amendments to the federal law On Information, Information Technologies, and Information Protection that would ban the distribution of ready-made school assignments.
A Shift Already Underway
Experts say that a clearer regulatory framework could make it easier to integrate digital tools into education while reducing the number of formal bans that are already proving ineffective. At the same time, Russian universities are expanding IT training programs and courses focused on AI applications—gradually reshaping how education itself is structured.
The proposal is still under discussion and must be reviewed by relevant agencies and experts. Still, analysts note that its very appearance signals a broader shift: the legal use of AI in education is moving from the margins into the mainstream. In practice, that makes the adoption of neural networks in classrooms increasingly likely, if not inevitable.
