BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Chile on Tuesday launched the first open-source artificial intelligence language model trained on the diverse cultures of Latin America, aiming to better reflect regional realities and strengthen the region’s presence in the global AI race.Latam-GPT is the result of a two-year regional effort led by the National Center of Artificial Intelligence of Chile, CENIA, and supported by over 30 institutions across eight Latin American countries.“Artificial intelligence is the greatest technological revolution of recent times, and from Latin America and the Caribbean, it is strategic and urgent that we play a role,” Chilean President Gabriel Boric said Tuesday after the launch, noting that the new system will be key to adding Latin American data and identity to AI.Latam-GPT is trained on data from private sources obtained through strategic partnerships across the region, as well as synthetic data used to address areas identified as underrepresented, said Gabriela Arriagada, a researcher at CENIA and head of the project’s ethics team.Developing Latam-GPT required collecting more than eight terabytes of data, equivalent to millions of books.Latam-GPT is a “very important milestone for Latin America,” as it contains data that captures each country’s particularities, said Luis Chiruzzo, an engineering professor at the University of the Republic in Uruguay not involved with the project.“That provides some assurance that, at the very least, everyone is included in the training,” Chiruzzo added.For now, the project will operate primarily in Spanish and Portuguese, with plans to incorporate Indigenous languages in later stages.
The development of Latam-GPT means the region now has the technical capacity to build AI models, according to Durán, the executive director at CENIA.Popular ReadsNancy Guthrie abduction: Sheriff reveals more detailed timelineFeb 9, 3:55 PMNancy Guthrie latest: Savannah Guthrie pleads with public, 'We need your help'Feb 9, 8:02 PMMinneapolis live updates: ICE arrest powers expanded, memo saysJan 31, 5:23 PM“Still, it’s an important step forward and will make it possible to start positioning ourselves in the world of language models with our own voice,” Chiruzzo said.The race for AI leadership has led countries to rethink their policies and initiatives for developing AI technologies.The United States, China and the European Union have more than half the world’s most powerful data centers to develop and support AI systems, according to data published by Oxford University.Africa and South America have almost no AI hubs, according to the report.Chile has been racing to expand its role in the AI boom over the past few years by attracting new talent and building new data centers.
In June last year, President Boric said in his State of the Union speech that the country must embrace AI, adding that a “country that does not invest in artificial intelligence risks falling behind in tomorrow’s global landscape.”___
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