⏱ 1 min 30 read
Background
Giotto is a start-up founded in 2017 in Lausanne by EPFL engineers. In May 2026 it presented a "portable" AI, then opened a free cloud version to the general public in July.
The key points
Giotto is launching a new artificial intelligence model presented as a sovereign alternative to ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. Access is free and anonymous, and data is hosted in Europe.
The start-up is unveiling two reasoning models, Solo and Alto, developed in Switzerland. Giotto says it focused on efficiency to reduce computing, energy and infrastructure needs.
Key figures
- Giotto Solo: designed to run on a single graphics processor (GPU).
- Giotto Alto: runs on eight Nvidia B300 GPUs, for professional use.
- Year Giotto was founded: 2017, in Lausanne.
What it means for businesses
The models can be used via a shared cloud hosted in Europe or a dedicated cloud in Switzerland or Europe. They can also be installed on premises. Giotto says its cloud services are aligned with the GDPR and do not depend on US infrastructure. An API is offered to developers.
Who says what
Aldo Podestà, CEO and co-founder of Giotto, wants to build an AI industry in Switzerland to create new jobs. He is betting on "test-time compute", which allocates more computing power at inference time.
What's next
The chat service can be used without an account, with iOS and Android apps. Giotto Alto is made available free of charge via the shared cloud.
Further reading
Sources
- Bilan – Giotto launches a free Swiss AI to take on ChatGPT
- ICTjournal – Lausanne's Giotto launches two sovereignty-focused AI models
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