The EU is launching a major collaboration to develop open-source AI models

The European Union is launching a major collaborative project to develop open-source large language models, bringing together 20 leading research institutions and companies across the continent.

Project Overview: The OpenEuroLLM initiative aims to create multilingual AI language models that are both performant and compliant with European regulations and values.

• The project is coordinated by Jan Hajič from Charles University (Czechia) and co-led by Peter Sarlin from AMD Silo AI (Finland)
• Work officially begins on February 1st, 2025, with funding from the European Commission’s Digital Europe Programme
• The initiative has been awarded the STEP (Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform) seal

Key Objectives: The project seeks to democratize access to AI technologies while strengthening Europe’s digital sovereignty and competitive position.

• Development of open-source language models specifically designed for commercial, industrial, and public services
• Creation of models that preserve linguistic and cultural diversity across Europe
• Implementation of transparent development processes aligned with European regulatory frameworks

Consortium Structure: The collaboration brings together diverse expertise from across the European tech ecosystem.

• 11 universities and research organizations, including Charles University and the ELLIS Institute Tübingen
• 5 private companies, including Silo GenAI and Aleph Alpha Research
• 4 EuroHPC supercomputing centers, including Barcelona Supercomputing Center and CINECA

Technical Framework: The development approach emphasizes openness and collaboration with existing tech communities.

• Partnership with open-source and open science communities like LAION, open-sci, and OpenML
• Models will be available for fine-tuning and instruction-tuning for specific industry needs
• Leverages existing repositories of high-quality data and pilot LLMs from previous European projects

Strategic Implications: This initiative represents a significant step toward establishing European independence in AI development while maintaining global competitiveness.

• The open-source nature of the project will lower barriers for European companies developing AI products
• Public organizations will gain access to tools for creating more effective services
• The project demonstrates Europe’s commitment to transparent, community-driven AI development

Looking Beyond the Launch: The success of OpenEuroLLM could reshape the global AI landscape by establishing a European alternative to current AI models, though achieving competitive performance levels while maintaining strict regulatory compliance will be a significant challenge.