Groundbreaking Research from LF AI & Data Reveals Open Source is Paramount for Global Sovereign AI

New report from LF AI & Data, LF Research, and Futurewei shows organizations are pursuing sovereign AI for greater data control, national security and localization

AMSTERDAM, Aug. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AI_dev -- LF AI & Data, the premier organization supporting open source innovation in artificial intelligence and data under the Linux Foundation, today announced the release of a major new research report, "The State of Sovereign AI: Exploring the Role of Open Source Projects and Global Collaboration in Global AI Strategy."

The report, developed in partnership with LF Research and Futurewei, offers a comprehensive and novel view of how governments, organizations, and technologists are pursuing sovereign AI capabilities in an effort to reduce dependency on external actors, and how open source collaboration is central to achieving them.

Among the report's key findings:

• 79% of respondents consider sovereign AI both valuable and strategically relevant, particularly at the national (66%) and organizational (47%) levels.
• Top drivers of sovereign AI include data control (72%) and national security (69%), and localization and cultural alignment are also key considerations.
• 82% of organizations are already building customized AI solutions, rising to 90% in the U.S. alone.
• Open source software (81%), open standards (65%) and open data (65%) are seen as the primary enablers of sovereign AI.
• A remarkable 94% of respondents believe global collaboration is essential – even for sovereign AI systems.
• Transparency (69%), auditability and security (60%) are cited as the leading benefits of open source in this context.
• The majority of respondents prefer community-led governance (43%), with open source foundations (60%) identified as key stakeholders alongside national governments (66%).

"Evidence shows AI sovereignty is secured through open, global collaboration, not isolation. Open-source AI lets governments retain full oversight of critical systems, meet local regulations, and build on collective innovation instead of starting from scratch," said Mark Collier, general manager of AI & Infrastructure at the Linux Foundation.

The report also identifies critical challenges, including data quality and availability (44%), technical skills gaps (35%), and geopolitical tensions that can impede collaboration. To address these, the report offers a set of strategic recommendations:

• Invest in open source AI infrastructure and frameworks.
• Develop sovereign AI talent through targeted education.
• Support community-led governance and open standards.
• Improve access to high-quality, diverse datasets.
• Foster international collaboration that respects national autonomy.

"This research makes it clear: achieving AI sovereignty is not about isolation – it's about participation," said Anni Lai, head of Open Source Strategy and Marketing at Futurewei and co-author of the report. "Open source provides the transparency, flexibility, and trust needed to build responsible, sovereign AI that reflects local values while advancing global innovation."

The full report is available for download at: https://lfaidata.foundation/resources/whitepapers/.

Meet LF AI & Data at AI_dev: Open Source GenAI & ML Summit

Learn more about the research during the AI_dev panel discussion, "Sovereign AI: Building Bridges in a Fragmented Landscape" with Anna Hermansen, Hilary Carter and Adrienn Lawson of the Linux Foundation and Anni Lai of Futurewei on Friday, 29 August. Check out additional LF AI & Data community sessions, and stop by the booth on the show floor to learn more and engage. Session recordings will be available in the coming weeks for those not in attendance.

About the Linux Foundation

The Linux Foundation is the world's leading home for collaboration on open source software, hardware, standards, and data. Linux Foundation projects are critical to the world's infrastructure including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, ONAP, OpenChain, OpenSSF, OpenStack, PyTorch, RISC-V, SPDX, Zephyr, and more. The Linux Foundation is focused on leveraging best practices and addressing the needs of contributors, users, and solution providers to create sustainable models for open collaboration. For more information, please visit us at linuxfoundation.org.

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of the Linux Foundation, please see its trademark usage page: www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Media Contact:

Jill Lovato
The Linux Foundation
[email protected]

SOURCE LF AI & Data Foundation