Activities in the area of Digital Business Models in 2022 were not just shaped by the topics of Gaia-X, artificial intelligence (AI) and, notably, the Service-Meister and Car Repair 4.0 projects, but also by the new LEAM:AI initiative. AI has the potential to change the world as much as the Internet has. Many new functionalities, products and business models will emerge. AI applications based on GPT-4 and other large AI models such as Dall-E or Chat-GPT, among others, have amazed technology enthusiasts globally in 2022 and triggered a real AI hype.

Unfortunately, with a few exceptions, this development is currently being driven almost exclusively by companies from the USA and China, with Germany and Europe in danger of losing their footing and thus also digital sovereignty in this important area.

Large European Language Models Initiative LEAM:AI

With the Large European AI Models initiative, or LEAM for short, we are planning a central AI flagship project under the leadership of the German AI Association, around which a powerful ecosystem of science, business and start-ups will form – in close cooperation also with existing European activities such as Open GPT-X, Aleph Alpha or Bloom.

A team of 40 representatives from science, business and society first developed initial ideas for an infrastructure to create large models.

LEAM:AI Feasibility Study for the BMWK

In 2022, eco focused, in particular, on the implementation of a feasibility study commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMWK), which analysed the realisation of Large European AI Models (LEAM) and was implemented together with other partners. Among other aspects, the study dealt with the enormous computing resources that large language models require and how a corresponding specialised AI computing centre can be set up in Germany. Many of our members supported us in the interviews for the study. The study is available for download at: https://leam.ai/feasibility-study-leam-2023/

One focus of LEAM:AI is the consideration of European values and upcoming standards and regulations. We are very pleased about the broad support from science, business and politics. Only together with all stakeholders can we master the challenges of using the possibilities of artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity, remaining internationally competitive through high-performance research and products, and securing prosperity in Germany.