Jörg Bienert to lead LEAM GmbH's Center for Sovereign AI
Jörg Bienert, a co-founder of the KI Bundesverband, has taken over leadership of LEAM GmbH's Center for Sovereign AI. He is also appointed as the association's first honorary president.
Jörg Bienert, a co-founder and long-time chairman of the German AI association KI Bundesverband, has been appointed as the new head of LEAM GmbH's Center for Sovereign AI. Concurrently, KI Bundesverband has named Bienert as its first honorary president. This move aims to foster the development of European, open-source foundation models to compete with U.S. technology giants.
The Center for Sovereign AI (CESAI) is an initiative by LEAM GmbH, located in Hürth, in Germany's Rhineland region. Its objective is to create transparent foundation models "made in Europe" suitable for businesses, academia, and the public sector. These foundation models underpin AI applications such as chatbots and analysis tools. Currently, the market is dominated by U.S. providers, with few European alternatives.
LEAM GmbH is supported by both KI Bundesverband and the internet industry association eco. The company's name, Large European AI Models, reflects its ambition to develop large-scale European AI models. The location in the Rhineland is strategic, as the region aims to build a new economic pillar through AI infrastructure and expertise following the decline of the coal industry.
Bienert has been instrumental in founding and leading KI Bundesverband for the past seven years. His transition to heading LEAM is seen as a strong signal for strengthening Germany's AI ecosystem. While stepping down from his operational role within the association, Bienert remains involved as an honorary president. Daniel Abbou continues to manage the organization's day-to-day operations.
The personnel change does not immediately impact small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, companies are advised to design their AI systems to be model-agnostic. This approach will allow for the future integration of European model alternatives without extensive redesigns. CESAI's models could be particularly significant in sectors with strict data protection requirements, such as healthcare and public administration, offering a European alternative to U.S. service providers.