Kyutai Launches as Europe’s First AI Open Research Lab

Kyutai has launched as what it says is the first European private-initiative laboratory dedicated to open research in artificial intelligence (AI).

The lab, co-founded by the iliad Group, CMA CGM and Schmidt Futures, aims to tackle the main challenges of modern AI and promote the democratization of AI technology, according to a Friday (Nov. 17) press release.

Kyutai, a non-profit laboratory, is focused on open research in AI and aims to develop large multimodal models that utilize text, sound, images and other data types, while also inventing new algorithms to enhance their capacities, reliability and efficiency, according to the release.

To achieve this, Kyutai will utilize the computing power provided by Scaleway, a subsidiary of the iliad Group, which boasts the highest-performance computing power for AI applications in Europe, the release said.

According to Xavier Niel, chairman and founder of the iliad Group, Europe has the potential to excel in the AI race, and creating an AI open research lab in Paris is crucial to leverage the expertise of French researchers, available computing power and the dynamic AI ecosystem. Niel believes that Kyutai will develop ultra high-performing and reliable AI models that will benefit the entire European AI ecosystem, per the release.

Kyutai’s primary goal is to share its advances with the entire AI ecosystem, including the scientific community, developers, companies, society at large and decision-makers in democracies, according to the press release. By positioning itself as a leading player in AI open science, Kyutai aims to contribute to the democratization of AI technology and foster collaboration among various stakeholders.

To ensure a sustainable pipeline of skilled professionals in the field of AI, Kyutai is committed to the training of future AI experts, the release said. The lab will offer internships to students on Master’s programs and provide supervision to PhD students and postdocs.

The establishment of Kyutai was made possible through the joint efforts of the iliad Group, the CMA CGM Group and Schmidt Futures, per the release. The iliad Group and the CMA CGM Group have each contributed 100 million euros (about $109 million) to fund the research laboratory. Kyutai is actively seeking other private investors to join the initiative.

It was reported in September that Eric Schmidt of Schmidt Futures, the former CEO of Google, has emerged as a powerful force in the world of technology and AI. With a fortune of $27 billion, Schmidt has leveraged his wealth and influence to shape public policy and government decisions.