Home / Technology / Portugal Launches Open-Source AI, Eyes EU Sovereignty
Portugal Launches Open-Source AI, Eyes EU Sovereignty
1 Jul
Summary
- Portugal introduced its first open-source AI model named Amalia.
- The model aims to enhance European AI sovereignty and reduce U.S. reliance.
- Amalia will serve as a base technology for public institutions and researchers.
Portugal has officially launched its inaugural open-source artificial intelligence model, named Amalia, on July 1, 2026. This development aligns with Europe's broader objective to bolster AI sovereignty and lessen dependence on major U.S. tech firms.
The Amalia model, named in homage to the renowned fado singer Amalia Rodrigues, is designed as a foundational technology. It will be accessible for public institutions, businesses, universities, and researchers to build customized AI applications.
This initiative was backed by €5.5 million in EU recovery funds and developed through a collaboration of Portuguese universities and research bodies. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro highlighted its importance for Europe's future, stating it will foster greater autonomy and reduce external dependency.
Amalia's open-source release under a permissive license includes its training dataset and source code. Initial applications are being developed for areas such as a virtual museum guide, decision-support tools for the Portuguese Navy, an AI teaching assistant, and a digital assistant for public services.
The model benefits from Portugal's investment in high-performance computing, utilizing supercomputers like Deucalion and MareNostrum 5 for training and operation, ensuring robust computational capabilities.
