Latin America is advancing in the development of artificial intelligence with the creation of Latam-GPT, a language model designed to better represent the history, culture, and linguistic diversity of the region. Announced at the Paris AI Action Summit, the project is led by Chile’s Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation (CTCI) and the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (Cenia), with support from experts and institutions across Latin America.
The primary issue addressed by Latam-GPT is the misinterpretation or generalization of phrases, idioms, and cultural references common in current AI models when applied to the Latin American context. This model has been developed with 50B parameters and a database, comparable to OpenAI's GPT-3.5. The focus on Latin American content allows for more accurate responses to historical, social, and cultural inquiries specific to the region.
The development of Latam-GPT has been funded through an investment, with contributions from the Andean Development Corporation and the University of Tarapacá. Collaborating countries include Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay, alongside support from institutions in the United States and Spain.
As an open-source initiative, it enables developers and researchers to tailor applications to regional requirements. Its potential uses span education, public policy analysis, environmental research, and economic studies. The model's open nature fosters innovation and adaptation to local challenges. Currently in the training phase, it invites public participation by collecting Spanish texts that capture linguistic nuances from different countries. This crowdsourced approach helps refine the model’s understanding of regional dialects and cultural contexts.
Comments have highlighted interest and discussions around Latam-GPT, indicating a blend of optimism about fostering digital sovereignty and skepticism about its practical applications beyond educational and cultural research.
User Daniel Ramirez commented on X:
LatamGPT: The First AI Model Made in Latin America Developed by @cen_ia, trained with local data, and featuring 50B parameters, it aims to reduce biases and improve accuracy in the region. Will it be key to digital sovereignty?
And user quasar_buckhead shared:
Bravo Latin America, Bravo! This is exactly what I have been talking about for the last month! There is no “One AI LLM”. Every AI nation should develop their own LLMs for their own needs and disciplines! Excellent Work Latin America! Bravo!
Latam-GPT represents a significant step toward enhancing technological sovereignty and reducing reliance on external AI solutions in Latin America. By focusing on regional specificity, the model aims to foster more inclusive and equitable technological advancements, reflecting the rich diversity of Latin America's culture and history. Initiatives like Latam-GPT and OpenEuroLLM highlight regional efforts to develop AI models tailored to local cultural and linguistic contexts. Other similar initiatives include SeaLLMs for Southeast Asia, SEA-LION for Singapore, Mistral Saba for Arabic-speaking countries, and Orange's African Language Model for regional African languages.
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