Russia moves to make Yandex AI assistant non-removable on all smartphones

Russia's Ministry of Digital Development proposes making Yandex's AI assistant 'Alice' a non-removable system app on all smartphones sold in Russia, a move experts say could turn it into a surveillance tool. The proposal, if enacted, would mandate pre-installation and prevent removal, raising privacy and competition concerns. It signals a tightening of state control over digital platforms and data flows.