The tentative agenda for the 16th Russian Internet Governance Forum (RIGF 2026), scheduled for April 7–8 at Moscow’s Soglasiye Hall venue, has been published on the forum’s website. The forum, organized by the Coordination Center for TLD
.RU/.РФ and the Center for Global IT Cooperation, will bring together leading internet experts, representatives of government agencies, businesses, and civil society organizations to discuss internet regulation issues. The general partner of the forum is the Technical Center of Internet. The strategic partner is the Russian Research Institute for the Development of Public Networks (RIPN). The partner is Runiti. The general information partner is TASS information agency.
The RIGF 2026 agenda features nine sections where participants and speakers will explore key avenues for the development of the digital environment – from global dialogue on internet governance to the challenges of digital transformation.
The forum will focus on preserving cultural and linguistic diversity in the global network, advancing digital health, developing new approaches to ensuring children’s safety online, as well as issues of digital sovereignty and the development of sovereign cloud infrastructures.
A highlight of the agenda is a foresight session dedicated to artificial intelligence as a driver of structural changes in governance, the economy, and society. Experts will discuss the ways AI is already transforming decision-making processes, content production, and digital services, and will identify which areas will see development in 2027–2035: the proliferation of autonomous agents, the formation of AI ecosystems, and the expansion of machine decision-making practices.
Other discussions at RIGF 2026 will address international approaches to regulating generative AI, the implementation of AI solutions in medical services, new digital risks for children, and how AI and automation are reshaping user interactions with services and transforming online marketing tools.
Key speakers at the forum include: Tatyana Matveyeva (Russian Presidential Directorate for the Development of Information and Communication Technology and Communication Infrastructure); Alexander Shoitov (Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media); Anton Gorelkin (State Duma of the Russian Federation); Andrey Kuzmichev (Runiti); Oksana Sotnikova (Russian Ministry of Economic Development); Timur Tsybikov (Russian Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs); Alexey Borodin (Regional Commonwealth in the Field of Communications); Yelizaveta Belyakova (Alliance for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment); Yevgeny Osadchuk (Skolkovo); Mikhail Skvirsky (Sberbank); Alexey Rogdev (Technical Center of Internet); Karen Kazaryan (Digital Economy); and Nikita Lebedev (VK).
Ahead of the forum, a special Youth Course is already underway, where young professionals are discussing key themes of RIGF 2026 and drafting statements that reflect the youth perspective on internet development.
Additionally, on April 6, as part of the educational day, an open lecture will be held by Anton Gorelkin, First Deputy Chair of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications, focusing on the process of drafting laws in the IT sector. On April 8, RIGF 2026 will also host the Virtuti Interneti (For Merits in the Internet Sphere) award ceremony and the traditional laureate lecture. The detailed agenda for RIGF 2026 is available on the forum’s website.
“The Russian Internet Governance Forum remains a key platform for open dialogue on the development of the internet and digital technologies. This year, particular attention will be paid to how the active adoption of artificial intelligence is transforming the internet environment – from technology and economy to governance and users’ daily lives. At the forum, we will discuss the ways these processes have already impacted the Russian internet and what changes await the digital ecosystem in the coming years,” noted Andrey Vorobyev, Director of the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ.
RIGF 2026 will be held in a hybrid format, both offline and online. Participation is free, and registration is now open.
Join the discussions and be at the forefront of shaping the digital agenda!
