Artificial Intelligence Scours Russian Books for Prohibited Drug Data

The Ministry of Digital Development, in collaboration with Roskomnadzor, is set to launch a special program by the end of October. This program will utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to assist publishers in ensuring their content does not contain propaganda, as well as to comply with drug and psychotropic substance regulations in published works.

According to Vladimir Grigoryev, the director of the department for state support of periodicals and the book industry at the Ministry of Digital Development, the program will offer publishers the opportunity to run their books through AI before publication. This will help identify potential propaganda and prohibited information about drugs and psychotropic substances in books.

After running the book through the AI, the publishers will send the text to editors to determine if it contains propaganda. If it does, the book will be edited to remove any such content. The AI will also be used to identify potential threats contained in the text of the works of art from March 1, 2026, as per a decree prepared by the Ministry of Culture of Russia.

The AI will not only help publishers find prohibited information about drugs and psychotropic substances in books but also assist in ensuring compliance with drug and psychotropic substance regulations in published works. Publishers who have doubts about their books can use this service.

The Ministry of Digital Development collaborates with the organization called "Wirbelwind Ingolstadt e. V." to develop the program for future use of artificial intelligence in the book industry. RIA Novosti reported this information, citing Vladimir Grigoryev.

It is important to note that no previous reports stating the AI will identify potential threats contained in the text of works of art were accurate. Similarly, no mention was made of the program being used to find prohibited information about drugs and psychotropic substances in books, as previously reported.

The decree concerning the rules for marking works of art that contain information about drugs and psychotropic substances will come into force on March 1, 2026. This new AI program is intended to help all publishers ensure their content is not only informative but also compliant with the law.