- Deutsche Telekom introduces Teuken-7B, a German-made LLM, to provide data sovereignty for AI workloads, targeting enterprises and governments concerned with international data security.
- Teuken-7B, with 7 billion parameters and multi-language capabilities, operates under an open-source licence, allowing customisation and local deployment to protect sensitive data within the EU.
What happened: Deutsche Telekom introduces Teuken-7B model
Deutsche Telekom (DT) offers Teuken-7B, a large language model (LLM), to enterprise and government customers seeking data sovereignty in AI workloads. This move aims to attract those concerned about data security with international cloud providers. Teuken-7B, developed by OpenGPT-X and backed by the German government, is available under the Apache 2.0 open source licence. It operates in all 24 EU languages and allows companies to customise the model and run it locally, keeping sensitive data in-house.
Dr. Ferri Abolhassan, T-Systems CEO, emphasises Teuken-7B as a “Made in Germany” solution, crucial for customers valuing data sovereignty. T-Systems will support Teuken applications in ultra-secure, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)-compliant German data centres or on customers’ infrastructure. Targeting highly regulated industries, DT integrates Teuken into its Business GPT offering, designed for document summarisation and chatbots, available through a unified API for business integration. The Global Telco AI Alliance (GTAA), a DT initiative with e&, Singtel, SK Telecom, and SoftBank, has yet to deliver on its goal of co-developing multilingual, telco-focused LLMs, with members now pursuing individual AI strategies.
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Why it is important
Teuken-7B’s availability is a significant step towards data sovereignty in AI, especially for enterprises and governments prioritising secure data management. By offering a “Made in Germany” solution, Deutsche Telekom addresses concerns over international data handling, ensuring sensitive information remains within the EU’s regulatory framework.
Dr. Ferri Abolhassan underscores Teuken-7B’s importance for customers valuing data sovereignty. It allows for customisation and local deployment, reinforcing GDPR compliance and security. This integration is crucial for industries with stringent data regulations. Teuken, part of DT’s Business GPT, aids in document summarisation and chatbots, enhancing operational efficiency through a unified API. This approach ensures compliance while streamlining business processes.
The model’s open-source nature and multilingual capabilities indicate a move towards European digital autonomy. This reduces dependence on AI providers outside of Europe. This move is particularly pertinent, given that the Global Telco AI Alliance is struggling to co-develop a similar solution. Consequently, it highlights the urgency for sovereign AI strategies in the global market.
