Over 2 years since the launch of the GPT-NL project, significant progress is being made under the leadership of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK). The focus is on linking projects with TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) to test the language model and drive its further development.
At the end of 2023, the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI), SURF, and TNO launched the GPT-NL project. GPT-NL is a Dutch language model trained exclusively on high-quality data for which explicit permission has been granted. Data owners are compensated, and user privacy is fully protected. The model will initially be available for public services, with plans to extend its use to commercial applications.
The Netherlands’ Digitalisation Strategy (NDS) explicitly includes the project, placing it under the AI priority. The aim is to promote the use of (open) Dutch or European language models. This is essential to enhancing transparency, reliability, ethical accountability, and digital independence.
Turning words into action
Marco de Bruijn, AI Policy Officer at the Ministry of BZK, states, “Supporting the development of GPT-NL and other trustworthy European language models is our responsibility. We test them across various government applications to translate NDS ambitions into practical initiatives and advance GPT-NL. This strategy helps establish a strong digital foundation for public services and innovation.”
The full interview in Dutch on the use cases is available on Platform AI Overheid’s website.
