GPT‑NL: a sovereign language model for the Netherlands (www.tno.nl)

TNO, in partnership with SURF and the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI), has launched GPT-NL, an independent Dutch language model designed to enhance the Netherlands' digital sovereignty. This initiative underscores a commitment to strong governance, transparency, and adherence to public values, addressing significant concerns about data usage, privacy, and algorithmic transparency in AI technologies. By developing a model tailored to the Dutch context, GPT-NL aims to mitigate reliance on non-European providers, ensuring that the technology remains aligned with European laws and societal goals. Key to GPT-NL is its focus on responsible AI development. The model is trained from scratch to avoid issues related to data provenance and copyright, employing strict safeguards to ensure data integrity. Transparency is paramount, with the entire data collection and training process documented, and the model’s source code made available as open source. Additionally, the project boasts a commitment to energy efficiency during development, funded by a public investment of €13.5 million from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. GPT-NL exemplifies how powerful AI can be harnessed while prioritizing public accountability and ethical standards, ultimately fostering a fairer and more autonomous technological landscape for the Netherlands.