Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has directed the Ministry of Digital Development to explore methods for identifying unreliable information generated by artificial intelligence by March 19. This directive was announced on the official government site.
The statement said, by March 19 the Ministry of Digital Development must ensure that measures are in place to detect misinformation, including data produced with artificial intelligence.
The prime minister asked for options to uncover deepfakes as part of a strategy session focused on the national Data Economy initiative. This emphasis follows the government’s aim to strengthen data integrity and public trust in digital information streams.
Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the topic of artificial intelligence during a press conference reviewing the 2023 results. At that event, he responded to a question poorly framed by an AI-generated image of a participant, underscoring the need to address AI-enabled impersonation.
Earlier voices, including legal analyst Ekaterina Melamed, argued that crimes involving deepfakes should carry criminal penalties, signaling a push toward stricter accountability for AI-driven manipulation.
Historically, Russia has explored neural networks and related technologies to detect deepfakes in photos and videos, signaling ongoing investment in AI verification tools and public safety measures.