In an announcement, Swiss researchers revealed that a multilingual, open-source AI model trained using public infrastructure and supporting 1,500+ languages will be released this summer. 

The release of the framework is a new breakthrough for Open Source AI. The Swiss National Super Computing Centre (CSCS), in Lugano, trained the new LLM on their “Alps” supercomputer. It was co-created by scientists from EPFL and ETH Zurich and other Swiss universities, in collaboration with engineers from CSCS.

Currently, the LLM is in the final testing stage and will be released later this summer under an open licence. Transparency, multilingual performance and broad accessibility are the focus on the language. 

What makes this framework special is that it supports over 1500 languages which makes it usable worldwide. The texts used to train it were around 60% in English and 40% in other languages, as well as code and mathematical data. 

To encourage adaptation in different sectors, the source code and training data will be open and replicable . The documentation will include the model architecture, training methods and usage recommendations to promote transparent re-use and continuous development.

A sneak peek of the model was available for attendants of the first International Open source LLM builders Summit in Geneva, where around 50 international organisations working on open source LLM’s and trustworthy AI united. AI centres at Switzerland’s federal institutes of technology in Lausanne (EFPL) and Zurich (ETH Zurich) organised the event and view it as an important step in building a collaborative global ecosystem around open models. Which are gaining more credibility as alternative to commercial systems. 

Earlier this year, Switzerland’s enacted the  EMBAG law mandating the disclosure of source code for software developed by or for federal authorities, aiming to enhance transparency, reduce vendor lock-in, and foster innovation through open source software. Championed by Professor Dr. Matthias Stürmer and backed by the Parliamentarian Group for Digital Sustainability, the law reflects a significant shift toward digital sovereignty and public sector collaboration. However, it currently applies only to the federal level, excluding cantons and communes.