LEAM - Large European AI Models

The feasibility study „Large AI Models for Germany“ is available now.

What is LEAM?

LEAM is an initiative of the German AI Association (KI Bundesverband) and leading representatives from industry and research that promotes the development of large AI models.

In order to realise large AI models made in Europe, the initiative proposes six key steps:

  • Collect and create comprehensive training datasets
  • Support excellence in AI research
  • Provide hyperscale infrastructure
  • Develop organisational structures and processes to establish a continuous workflow of model development and improvement
  • Integrate the models into the European innovation ecosystem
  • Develop methodologies, benchmark datasets and criteria to fulfill ethical requirements and reflect European values


We want the models developed under this initiative to be open source and freely available to all market players. All European languages should be fully integrated into the models. 

Why did we start LEAM?

Recent progress by US and Chinese companies in developing large AI models has the potential to transform the AI market. These large models will outperform and gradually replace other AI solutions. We are concerned that European players will be left behind and that the innovative European AI ecosystem will become dependent on American or Chinese solutions.

We expect complications with non-English language support and are concerned that American and Chinese AI solutions will not adequately protect their users‘ privacy.

To ensure that Europe remains competitive, we urgently need to invest in the development of large AI models and in the AI supercomputers to train them. Otherwise, we risk being left behind in the fast AI innovation cycle.

What do we want to achieve with LEAM?

With LEAM, we want to build a European AI ecosystem that is competitive in AI development.

We want our AI models to reflect European values and high quality standards in terms of data protection, transparency and bias, and we want to make the training of AI models more sustainable.

Only with a strong AI ecosystem can we ensure Europe’s digital sovereignty.

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