Portugal’s AMALIA treats AI as a public good

Source Domain: www.piie.com

Europe is pursuing an alternative path to AI dominance compared to the competitive rivalry between the United States and China, aiming to view AI as a public good.
Portugal launched AMALIA, an open-source AI model named after a renowned cultural icon, intended to develop independence from dominant US AI companies while preserving local language and culture.
AMALIA, developed by a consortium led by NOVA University Lisbon with public funding, is not meant for direct public use but as a foundational model for tailored applications by various institutions.
Unlike private US models, AMALIA’s open-source nature ensures it can serve multiple sectors without diminishing benefits, fitting the concept of a public good.
The EU approach contrasts sharply with the US model, which treats AI as a private good with proprietary, commercially restricted systems.
Portugal’s investment in AMALIA reflects a broader goal to secure national autonomy in AI, highlighting the public investment principle similar to past US government-funded public utilities.
While public provision of AMALIA carries risks, the investment at roughly €7 million is seen as a low-cost acquisition of a foundational public stake in a critical emerging technology.

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