🔗 Share this article

Around the globe, governments are pouring enormous sums into the concept of “sovereign AI” – developing domestic AI systems. Starting with the city-state of Singapore to Malaysia and Switzerland, states are vying to create AI that grasps native tongues and cultural nuances.

The Global AI Arms Race

This initiative is a component of a broader international competition dominated by major corporations from the United States and China. Whereas firms like a leading AI firm and a social media giant pour substantial capital, mid-sized nations are also making independent bets in the AI landscape.

But amid such tremendous sums in play, can smaller nations secure meaningful advantages? As stated by an expert from an influential thinktank, If not you’re a wealthy state or a major firm, it’s a substantial burden to create an LLM from the ground up.”

Defence Issues

Numerous countries are hesitant to depend on overseas AI technologies. In India, for example, Western-developed AI systems have sometimes been insufficient. A particular case involved an AI agent deployed to instruct learners in a remote village – it communicated in English with a thick Western inflection that was difficult to follow for native users.

Furthermore there’s the defence aspect. For India’s defence ministry, employing certain external systems is viewed not permissible. Per an founder noted, “It could have some unvetted data source that may state that, such as, a certain region is not part of India … Using that certain AI in a military context is a major risk.”

He added, “I have spoken to individuals who are in defence. They aim to use AI, but, forget about certain models, they are reluctant to rely on Western technologies because information might go abroad, and that is totally inappropriate with them.”

Homegrown Initiatives

In response, some states are backing local projects. An example such a project is underway in India, wherein a firm is striving to develop a domestic LLM with government backing. This project has dedicated approximately $1.25bn to machine learning progress.

The developer imagines a system that is significantly smaller than leading systems from Western and Eastern firms. He explains that the country will have to compensate for the funding gap with expertise. “Being in India, we don’t have the advantage of pouring huge sums into it,” he says. “How do we vie with say the $100 or $300 or $500bn that the United States is devoting? I think that is the point at which the core expertise and the brain game is essential.”

Local Priority

Across Singapore, a government initiative is supporting AI systems developed in south-east Asia’s native tongues. Such languages – including the Malay language, Thai, Lao, Bahasa Indonesia, Khmer and more – are commonly underrepresented in US and Chinese LLMs.

It is my desire that the people who are creating these sovereign AI systems were informed of just how far and how quickly the cutting edge is progressing.

An executive engaged in the initiative says that these systems are created to supplement more extensive AI, rather than displacing them. Platforms such as a popular AI tool and another major AI system, he comments, commonly have difficulty with native tongues and local customs – communicating in stilted Khmer, as an example, or recommending non-vegetarian dishes to Malaysian individuals.

Creating native-tongue LLMs allows national authorities to incorporate cultural sensitivity – and at least be “informed users” of a sophisticated technology developed elsewhere.

He continues, I am prudent with the word sovereign. I think what we’re trying to say is we wish to be more adequately included and we want to comprehend the capabilities” of AI systems.

Cross-Border Collaboration

Regarding nations trying to establish a position in an intensifying international arena, there’s another possibility: team up. Researchers associated with a prominent institution put forward a government-backed AI initiative allocated across a group of emerging countries.

They refer to the proposal “an AI equivalent of Airbus”, modeled after Europe’s successful initiative to create a alternative to Boeing in the mid-20th century. This idea would entail the creation of a public AI company that would merge the resources of various countries’ AI initiatives – including the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of Spain, Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, France, Switzerland and Sweden – to create a competitive rival to the US and Chinese giants.

The lead author of a report describing the proposal notes that the concept has gained the attention of AI officials of at least three nations so far, in addition to a number of sovereign AI firms. Although it is currently focused on “mid-sized nations”, developing countries – Mongolia and Rwanda included – have also indicated willingness.

He explains, In today’s climate, I think it’s simply reality there’s less trust in the commitments of the existing American government. Experts are questioning for example, should we trust such systems? Suppose they opt to