Bulgaria Leads Europe with First State-Supported AI Language Model

Bulgaria has become the first country in Europe to launch its own artificial intelligence (AI) language model, made freely available and supported by the state. The initiative, led by the Institute for Artificial Intelligence INSAIT, part of Sofia University, marks a major milestone. INSAIT has received significant state funding, totaling hundreds of millions of leva over the past four years.

The Bulgarian AI language model, known as BgGPT, is now accessible to public administrations, private companies, and state institutions. Previously in a testing phase, it is now officially operational. According to Professor Martin Vechev, the technology stands at a global level in terms of processing the Bulgarian language, surpassing even international platforms like OpenAI's ChatGPT in handling native Bulgarian speech.

“This achievement positions Bulgaria as a leader in Europe, offering a world-class AI language model specifically tailored for Bulgarian,” Professor Vechev stated at a press conference at Sofia University. He emphasized that the model’s applications span various sectors, including science, education, healthcare, administration, and content creation. Importantly, the model ensures that data remains stored and processed domestically, a strategic advantage for maintaining data security and technological independence.

Vechev also noted that many European countries are heavily investing in similar projects, spending hundreds of millions of euros to develop their own AI systems. For Bulgaria, BgGPT eliminates reliance on foreign AI models, reducing risks related to external influence or inaccuracies in data interpretation. This also helps safeguard the purity and integrity of the Bulgarian language.

The public launch of BgGPT will take place on November 23, with access available to individuals through the platform bggpt.ai. Institutions and businesses, however, can begin using the full language model immediately.

Acting Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev highlighted the project’s strategic importance, describing it as an example of governmental continuity across administrations since 2021, all of which have supported INSAIT’s initiatives. He added that creating such a model ahead of other EU countries underscores Bulgaria’s leadership in AI development. The Bulgarian government is the largest investor in INSAIT, with plans to provide 170 million leva in funding over a decade starting in 2022. In total, INSAIT has secured over 200 million leva, with contributions from entities such as Google, Amazon, and Bulgarian tech company SiteGround.

Vechev underscored that this achievement not only enhances the precision of AI in Bulgarian but also ensures the country’s autonomy in shaping public discourse. The launch of BgGPT is expected to open up new opportunities across multiple fields while maintaining technological sovereignty.