European consortium launches open-source language model initiative OpenEuroLLM

A group of 20 European research institutions and companies has announced OpenEuroLLM, a collaborative project to develop open-source multilingual language models. The initiative, coordinated by Charles University’s Jan Hajič and AMD Silo AI’s Peter Sarlin, will create AI models specifically designed for European commercial and public services. The project aims to strengthen Europe’s AI capabilities while ensuring compliance with EU regulations and values. Starting February 2025, OpenEuroLLM will receive funding from the European Commission’s Digital Europe Programme. The consortium will work with open-source communities like LAION and OpenML to develop models that can be fine-tuned for specific industry needs. This initiative supports Europe’s digital sovereignty goals by providing transparent, high-quality AI technology accessible to both businesses and public organizations.