AI regulation in Armenia: laws & policy (2026)
AI in Armenia: guidelines only.
Armenia has no standalone AI legislation in force. The government has identified AI as a strategic priority through ministerial policy and the Digital Transformation Strategy 2021-2025, and on 27 January 2026 Armenia signed the Council of Europe's Framework Convention on AI, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, the first international legally binding AI treaty, though domestic ratification is pending. A formal national AI strategy document has been publicly discussed but not formally adopted as binding law.
Legal framework
No comprehensive domestic AI law in force; policy guided by the Ministry of High-Tech Industry's AI priority agenda, the Digital Transformation Strategy 2021-2025, and Armenia's January 2026 signing (not yet ratified) of the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence (CETS No. 225)
Key points: artificial intelligence in Armenia
CoE AI Convention signed
Armenia signed the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence (CETS 225) on 27 January 2026, committing to align AI lifecycle activities with human rights, democracy, and rule of law. The convention requires domestic ratification to take legal effect.
High-Tech Sector support law
Law No. HO-498-N on State Support for the High-Tech Sector, in force from January 2025, creates a registration procedure for AI and other high-tech businesses to access tax privileges and employment incentives, but does not regulate AI conduct or risk.
Ministry AI priority agenda
Armenia's Ministry of High-Tech Industry declared AI-based projects, from educational reform to technical infrastructure, a top priority for 2025, and in October 2025 signed a partnership with Mistral AI to strengthen the country's AI ecosystem and GovTech applications.
US-Armenia AI & Semiconductor MOU
On 8 August 2025, the United States and Armenia signed an AI and Semiconductor Innovation Partnership MOU, alongside a $500 million public-private AI infrastructure project with NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, positioning Armenia as a regional AI hub, neither instrument constitutes domestic AI regulation.
Biometric surveillance without AI safeguards
Amendments to the Law on Police, effective 9 August 2025, authorised real-time biometric surveillance networks for the Ministry of Internal Affairs but were criticised by civil society for lacking AI-specific safeguards, public oversight, or legal accountability mechanisms.
Digital Transformation Strategy & OECD tracking
Timeline of decisions
- DecisionFirebird Phase 2: Armenia AI Megaproject Expands to $4 Billion and 50,000 GPUs
During an official visit to Yerevan by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Firebird and the U.S. government announced Phase 2 of Armenia's AI supercomputing megaproject, securing export licensing for 41,000 additional NVIDIA GB300 GPUs and expanding total investment to $4 billion, positioning Armenia among the world's five largest AI GPU clusters.
PR Newswire / Firebird
- Law · officialArmenia Signs Council of Europe Framework Convention on AI (CETS No. 225)
Armenia became a signatory to the first internationally binding AI treaty, the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, committing to align the lifecycle of AI systems with human rights, democratic principles, and the rule of law.
Council of Europe
- DecisionU.S. Grants Export Authorization for NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs to Armenia's Firebird Data Center
The U.S. Department of Commerce approved export licensing for NVIDIA chips destined for Firebird's Armenian AI data center, clearing the key regulatory hurdle for Phase 1 of the $500 million project and marking the first concrete outcome of the August 2025 Armenia-U.S. technology MOU.
Bloomberg
- Decision · officialArmenia-U.S. AI and Semiconductor Innovation Partnership MOU Signed at the White House
Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Trump signed a Memorandum of Understanding on AI and Semiconductor Innovation, making Armenia a formal U.S. strategic partner for secure semiconductor supply chains, joint AI research, and private-sector investment, the diplomatic foundation for subsequent U.S. GPU export approvals.
Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia
- DecisionNational Virtual Institute for Artificial Intelligence Launched
The Ministry of High-Tech Industry officially launched the National Virtual Institute for AI in partnership with AWS and Mistral AI, establishing a structured platform for AI education, workforce training, and research, Armenia's first institutional vehicle dedicated to building domestic AI human capital.
MassisPost
- DecisionFirebird, NVIDIA and Team Group Announce $500 Million AI Supercomputing Megaproject
At VivaTech Paris, Firebird announced a $500 million public-private AI infrastructure project with the Armenian government, NVIDIA, and Team Group (parent of Telecom Armenia), envisaging deployment of thousands of NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs and over 100 MW of compute capacity to establish Armenia as the Caucasus region's AI hub.
Telecom Armenia
- LawParliament Passes Biometric Surveillance Law Enabling Real-Time Facial Recognition by Police
The National Assembly adopted amendments to the Law on Police, exclusively backed by the ruling Civil Contract party, granting the Ministry of Internal Affairs 24/7 access to a nationwide AI-enhanced facial recognition camera network; the law took effect 9 August 2025 and was condemned by HRW and civil society for deploying AI surveillance without any legal AI governance framework.
CSOMETER
- Decision · officialMinistry of High-Tech Industry Signs AI Cooperation Agreement with Mistral AI in Paris
First Deputy Minister Gevorg Mantashyan and Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch signed a partnership agreement in Paris, committing Mistral AI to strengthen Armenia's AI infrastructure, support AI-driven GovTech, and provide AI training using both commercial and open-source models, Armenia's first bilateral AI-specific cooperation agreement with a private AI company.
Ministry of High-Tech Industry of Armenia
- LawLaw on State Support for the High-Tech Sector (HO-498-N) Enters into Force
Armenia's new law establishing a state registry and granting tax privileges and employment incentives to high-tech businesses, including AI companies, entered into force, creating the first dedicated legal mechanism providing regulatory and fiscal benefits to the AI sector.
Library of Congress Global Legal Monitor
- DecisionArmenia's National Supercomputer Center (ANSCC) Inaugurated in Yerevan
The National Supercomputer Center of Armenia (named after Charles Aznavour) opened in Engineering City, Yerevan, with 1 petaflops capacity and ~24,500 cores; backed by the World Bank and European Commission, it is the first dedicated national computing resource for AI, machine learning, and scientific research in the country.
NEWS.am Tech
- Decision · officialMinistry of High-Tech Industry Established as Armenia's Dedicated AI and ICT Policy Body
The Armenian government reorganized its ministry responsible for ICT into the dedicated Ministry of High-Tech Industry, granting it sole authority over AI, technology, and digital policy, creating the institutional foundation upon which all national AI strategy, regulation, and international partnerships have since been built.
Ministry of High-Tech Industry of Armenia
Sources
- coe.int/en/web/artificial-intelligence/-/armenia-signs-the-council-of-europe-
- armenpress.am/en/article/1240664
- gov.am/en/news/item/9940/
- news.am/en/news/861379
- csometer.info/updates/armenia-new-legal-amendments-expand-biometric-surveillance-po
- dig.watch/resource/armenias-digital-transformation-strategy-2021-2025
- oecd.ai/en/dashboards/countries/Armenia
- lawgratis.com/blog-detail/artificial-intelligence-law-at-armenia
- hightech.gov.am/en/tegekatvakan-kentron/ayl/norutyunner/about-ai
- trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/armenia-information-and-telecommunication-t
Next for Armenia: Data & PrivacyComprehensive law
Next topicOrientation, not legal advice: verify against the primary sources linked above. Last verified 24 May 2026. Methodology & how to cite · State of Technology Regulation 2026