Aleph Alpha unveils German-language AI model for public infrastructure

German AI company Aleph Alpha has released a new language model called Kolibri for use in public administration and industry, designed to run on infrastructure that customers control themselves, the Heidelberg-based firm said at the weekend.

With the move, Aleph Alpha is seeking to strengthen its position in the competition for AI solutions suited to government and industrial use from Europe. The market is considered strategically important, as many organizations prioritize data protection, transparency and control over the infrastructure they use.

"Expertise to develop competitive AI models"

Kolibri shows that there is "the talent and expertise in Germany to develop competitive AI models," chief executive Ilhan Scheer said on Saturday. 

AI sovereignty means preserving the freedom to make decisions through the ability to develop and advance this technology independently, and giving customers control over how they use it, he said.

Co-founder Samuel Weinbach said, "We have tailored Kolibri specifically to the requirements of German-language applications ... so that it can reason in German." 

This was an important step for customers in making AI usable in everyday workflows, he said. 

Aleph Alpha, headquartered in the south-western city of Heidelberg, employs around 200 people at four locations in Germany.

AI solutions for public administration and industry

Aleph Alpha has for years positioned itself as a European provider of "sovereign" AI solutions for government and industry. 

At the end of April, Aleph Alpha and Canadian AI company Cohere announced a "trans-Atlantic merger," though in practice the deal amounts to an acquisition of Aleph Alpha by Cohere.