The EdTech Development Group in Russia has identified measures to regulate AI in education.

Contents:

• The Need to Regulate the Use of Artificial Intelligence
• Overview of International Initiatives to Regulate the Use of Artificial Intelligence
• What's Next?

A meeting of the working group dedicated to the development of EdTech in the Russian Federation was held on October 28. This initiative was launched last year with the support of the Digital Economy Autonomous Non-Profit Organization (ANO) and the Association for Innovation in Education (RACI). The main issue discussed by the participants was regulating the use of artificial intelligence in education. Participants analyzed how to develop rules for integrating technologies that have been transforming the educational process for several years but remain mired in legal uncertainty. During the discussion, key risks associated with the implementation of AI were identified, international regulatory practices were studied, and proposals for addressing these issues in Russia were developed.

The Need to Regulate the Use of Artificial Intelligence

Valentina Kurenkova, GR Director at Netology and head of GR at RACIO, emphasized that artificial intelligence represents a unique phenomenon for the education system, the consequences of which remain unclear. She believes that AI truly has the potential to be the revolutionary technology that education has long hoped for. However, its implementation is currently taking place in a haphazard manner, which creates risks for both educational institutions and the EdTech industry.

Luaza Bayramkulova, Chief Analyst of the “Personnel for the Digital Economy” sector at the ANO “Digital Economy”, gave a report in which she focused on the dangers associated with the uncontrolled implementation of artificial intelligence.

Undoubtedly, the greatest threat for students is the fundamental change in their thinking, as well as the potentially negative impact of dependence on artificial intelligence on their cognitive abilities.

Luaza explained that if we consider three key cognitive functions - information processing, mental problem solving, and data analysis and synthesis - then under the influence of artificial intelligence, these processes are transformed into verification and fact checking, integration of materials provided by AI, refinement of answers and assessment of their relevance, as well as adaptation of style depending on specific tasks.

As a result of all this, in the long term, people experience a decrease in motivation to The situation for teachers looks more promising: artificial intelligence can significantly simplify their workflows, freeing them from administrative duties and allowing them to act as AI tutors or mentors. However, the introduction of AI will also create new professional roles for teachers. This primarily concerns the transformation of the role of "knowledge translator" into a mentor, capable of helping students socialize and develop important competencies. Furthermore, teachers can become guides in the world of AI, teaching children how to effectively use technology. Ultimately, teachers can act as clients for the solutions that will be implemented in the educational process. However, as Vera Loktionova, head of government relations at Umskul and a member of the RATsIO board, later noted, there is still concern among educators that AI could lead to their displacement and replacement.

The main conclusion from Luaza Bayramkulova's report on educators is that they need to be provided with methodological training to effectively use this new technology.

“The key aspect in the education development strategy should be attention to the teacher, and not to technology,” noted Luaza Bayramkulova. “Currently, the emphasis seems to be shifting to technical means and tools. However, in this context it is necessary to focus on the role of the teacher.”

In addition to the potential negative impact on students' intellectual development, there are a number of ethical risks. These include the leakage of confidential information, subtle advertising and manipulation, and digital discrimination. Deepening social inequality may manifest itself in the emergence of "privileged" high-tech solutions that are only available to certain categories of the population.

In general, if no changes are made to the current situation, the introduction of artificial intelligence into the education system will be chaotic, which will lead to many problems. Regulators need to minimize these risks. The following are expected to be useful for this:

• creating a state strategy and legal framework for the use of artificial intelligence in education, including the development of a national code of ethical standards regarding the use of AI in this context;
• Organizing methodological assistance and large-scale training for teachers in the use of artificial intelligence, as well as their adaptation to this new technology. Creating unified guidelines and recommendations for implementing AI in the educational process with students.

Luaza Bayramkulova believes that, depending on how the aforementioned risks associated with the use of artificial intelligence in education are addressed, three key scenarios for the possible development of the situation can be identified:

• The negative aspect is the lack of adequate control, which can exacerbate existing risks, including the likelihood of a deterioration in students' cognitive skills. This, in turn, can provoke the degradation of the educational system.
• In this scenario, a stratification is likely to occur, in which successful educational institutions will begin to actively use artificial intelligence, which will allow them to significantly improve their results. At the same time, less effective organizations may find themselves in an even more vulnerable position, lagging behind their more advanced competitors.
• From an optimistic perspective, artificial intelligence can become an ally for humans, offering a personalized approach and relieving teachers of routine tasks, which in turn contributes to more personalized learning. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to focus now on creating a regulatory framework in this area, training educational specialists and, of course, improving the infrastructure.

Overview of International Initiatives to Regulate the Use of Artificial Intelligence

Vera Loktionova, who works with government agencies at Umskul and is a member of the RATIO board, shared the experience of other countries in regulating the use of artificial intelligence in education. In her analytical review, she noted that approaches to regulating the use of AI in the international arena vary significantly.

Currently, the United States lacks centralized regulation of artificial intelligence. However, in April 2025, Donald Trump signed an executive order that created a federal task force focused on integrating AI into education and called for programs to improve AI literacy among young people. By that time, 28 states had already published their guidelines for the use of AI in educational institutions, most of which were recommended rather than mandatory. States such as California, Connecticut, and Texas, in particular, have initiated legislation that would create oversight boards and regulatory sandboxes for testing AI-based tools.

China has adopted a centralized approach: the Ministry of Education has developed strategic guidelines for the integration of artificial intelligence into the national curriculum, mandating that children be taught the basics of AI starting in elementary school. Regulations have also been established regarding the use of generative AI by students in educational activities—such use is permitted only to create diagnostic reports and provide support, but not to replace their own efforts.

India intends to introduce mandatory training in artificial intelligence in educational institutions by 2026, as well as to include it in all undergraduate curricula.

Japan has also presented guidelines regarding the implementation of artificial intelligence in educational institutions, striving to become the "most AI-friendly country on the planet." In this context, special attention is paid to developing a critical attitude towards AI, understanding its potential and limitations, and discussing ethical issues and the social implications of its use.

In 2024, the European Union approved the AI ​​Act, a unified framework for regulating artificial intelligence technologies. AI systems were classified into four risk levels, with the education sector being categorized as high risk, entailing strict requirements for transparency, auditing, and human oversight. This includes stringent requirements for AI systems used for automated assessment, admissions, monitoring student behavior, and assessing their language skills. Furthermore, using AI to determine students' emotions based on biometric data is strictly prohibited.

In August 2025, the Russian Ministry of Education and Science noted that there are currently no clear regulations governing the use of AI technologies in the education system. However, it emphasized the urgent need for such regulations. Maksut Shadayev, in turn, expressed the opinion that education should be the first area to be addressed, considering this area the most relevant. Vera Loktionova also noted that the lack of legal regulation generates uncertainty and creates potential risks.

Nevertheless, certain steps towards regulatory frameworks have already been taken, and the speaker listed them:

• On October 10, 2019, Decree No. 490 of the President of the Russian Federation was signed, which concerned the development of artificial intelligence in the country. This document approved the National Strategy for the Promotion of AI, designed to last until 2030. The main focus in the field of education is on training qualified personnel in the field of AI and developing skills in working with artificial intelligence. In addition, the strategy envisages the introduction of ethical standards in educational institutions based on the principles of the Code of Ethics in the Sphere of Artificial Intelligence.
• The Russian Federation adopted the national standard GOST R 59895–2021, which is dedicated to artificial intelligence technologies in the field of education. The document contains the main provisions and terminology related to this topic.
• The Ministry of Education presented advice on the integration of modern digital technologies into core educational programs. These recommendations cover a wide range of digital solutions and are not limited exclusively to artificial intelligence.
• GOST R 59895–2021 is a national standard dedicated to the topic of "Artificial Intelligence Technologies in the Educational Sphere. Basic Provisions and Terminology." This document also specifies the goals for which artificial intelligence technologies can be applied.
• The GOST R 59896–2021 standard, which is entitled "Educational Products with Artificial Intelligence Algorithms for Adaptive Learning in General Education. Requirements for Teaching and Methodological Materials," has its own characteristics. Vera Loktionova noted that one of the main problems with standards is their tendency to quickly become obsolete. This is due to the fact that artificial intelligence technologies and methods of their application are developing rapidly.
• Ethical standards concerning artificial intelligence are advisory in nature and apply to all organizations. A number of higher education institutions have also joined them.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Digital Development has prepared a draft concept for regulating artificial intelligence, which is planned for approval by 2030. However, this document has not yet been submitted for public discussion. The key principles of this project are known to include a human-centered approach, ensuring technological sovereignty, as well as guarantees of transparency and the prevention of harm to humans.

Vera Loktionova noted that the proposed principles are significant and correct, but it would be useful to receive more specific recommendations related to the educational sphere. Currently, Russian universities are seeing completely contrasting approaches to the use of generative neural networks: some universities permit their use, requiring students to indicate this in their work, others impose strict prohibitions, and still others are unclear. Thus, at the moment, there is no agreed-upon approach to the question: should they be permitted, prohibited, or certain control measures established? At the same time, some universities are already actively using artificial intelligence for various purposes, such as creating adaptive educational platforms, predicting student performance, and implementing video surveillance systems that monitor student engagement in classes.

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Moscow City Pedagogical University has developed a system that uses artificial intelligence to predict student performance.

While a code of ethics certainly implies the proper use of technology, the speaker believes it is necessary to develop clearer guidelines regarding the acceptable and unacceptable uses of artificial intelligence. This also includes teaching students how to use AI thoughtfully and responsibly in the educational process. It is important to strike a balance between restrictions and the free, unconsidered implementation of technology. In other words, it is advisable to apply a risk-based approach, as is done in the European Union, while simultaneously creating experimental legal models, as is practiced in Japan.

The possibility of centrally implementing a mandatory course on artificial intelligence at all levels of the education system should also be considered, with a particular focus on developing critical thinking, ethical analysis, and practical skills. In this regard, both the experience of China and planned initiatives in India should be taken into account. The speaker agrees that teacher training in the use of AI tools needs to be improved, which can be achieved through extensive professional development programs and the creation of teaching materials. However, this will undoubtedly require significant financial investment.

Vera Loktionova believes that RATIO could play an important role in creating a unified national strategy for the application of artificial intelligence in education. This strategy could unite the efforts of organizations such as the Ministry of Digital Development, the Ministry of Education and Science, Roskomnadzor, and other government agencies.

What's next?

Despite the unanimity of the participants in the discussion on the need for regulation, concerns about excessive control in the industry were voiced throughout the discussion. Overly strict measures could have a negative impact, as they limit opportunities for experimentation, which, in turn, will slow development. Therefore, a collaborative approach to the process is key, involving both government agencies and experts from the education sector, as well as representatives of the EdTech business. In addition, a reliable intermediary will be needed who can connect these groups.

«It is necessary to create "An intermediary organization that will connect the teaching community with businesses developing technological solutions is needed. This will allow teachers to communicate important requirements that should be taken into account when creating such systems to ensure the quality of education does not deteriorate," noted Luaza Bayramkulova.

Yulia Goryachkina, Head of the "Personnel for the Digital Economy" department, believes that a working group comprising representatives of various stakeholders could be created to fulfill this role.

In the final part of the discussion, Valentina Kurenkova noted that in Russia, there are two main approaches to implementing artificial intelligence regulation in education. The first is a top-down approach. In this case, industry representatives simply wait for a comprehensive state strategy for regulating AI in education to be developed, which will ultimately be approved by authorities such as the government or the president. In this case, educational institutions will only have to adapt to the new requirements.

The second approach involves proactive interaction with the regulator, which requires developing recommendations for the industry with the participation of the professional community. These recommendations should be submitted to the regulator for possible inclusion in the strategy being developed. However, to implement this option, it is necessary to move from abstract discussions to concrete proposals. As a representative of RATIO noted, in 2026 the organization plans to actively address issues related to artificial intelligence.

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• In the field of educational technology, the time has come to pay attention to ethical aspects. Given the rapid development of technologies and their implementation in educational processes, it is important to understand how these changes affect students, teachers, and the educational environment itself. Ethical issues such as data privacy, fairness in access to resources, and the impact of algorithms on learning require discussion and analysis.

  As technologies become increasingly integrated into the educational process, their use must be based on moral principles that take into account the interests of all participants. This is necessary to create a safe and fair educational environment. Ethical reflection can help us not only avoid potential negative consequences but also contribute to a more informed approach to the implementation of new solutions in education. It is important that the EdTech community begin actively discussing these issues, shaping a more sustainable and responsible future for all.

• Russian companies have approved a Code of Ethical Conduct in the Field of Artificial Intelligence.
• Trump issued an executive order concerning the implementation of artificial intelligence in the educational programs of American educational institutions.
• All educational institutions in Singapore will implement an adaptive learning system based on artificial intelligence technologies.
• Yandex, together with the Higher School of Economics, conducted a study on the use of artificial intelligence in higher education by universities.
• British universities have developed key principles concerning the ethical use of generative artificial intelligence.