Yes we can: our own secure AI server

As a 'freshman' at VIRO, Thomas Bruggeman lives in his ideal world. He got in touch with VIRO as an AI enthusiast. As a result: a one-year contract as AI project manager (for starters). The assignment: explore the potential of AI for VIRO. On 26 September, he gave a presentation at the IDC-AI Symposium in Enschede. The title: ‘Offline AI in SMEs: feasible, powerful and completely private.’

AI technologies such as ChatGPT and Copilot are increasingly being integrated into day-to-day operations. From e-mail management and taking minutes to document search and drafting. These tools promise huge improvements in efficiency, but they also raise important questions. How do we handle sensitive information? Can we blindly rely on big companies that collect data to improve their AI systems?

VIRO on the trail of AI

'I was always interested in AI and had a startup company with two other guys. When they got other priorities, I contacted VIRO in Hengelo,' Thomas says. The timing couldn't have been better: in Hengelo, they were just about to explore the opportunities and possibilities with AI. So we might as well get straight to it. 'I report directly to branch manager Jacob Vlasma with my work. One of the projects I am engaged in is with Theo de Vries from the Software & Control department. This department wants to grow. This can be done by hiring more people. But it can also be done by becoming more efficient. That is where AI can play a very big role. For example, by rationalising and automating labour-intensive work such as coding and writing documents. That works very well, we have noticed.'

Open, closed, or both?

At VIRO, we work with both open and closed software. Both have their advantages. Open-source software is innovative, but deployable on a limited scale. Closed-source software (from companies like Microsoft, among others) has a more robust infrastructure and better AI models. Without going into further programmatic details, it is safe to say that Thomas and his colleagues have come up with a great solution. By running open-source software locally and using the AI tools of closed-source software.

Secure, powerful and scalable

'Based on the opportunities we see to make processes within VIRO more efficient, we developed our own AI server. It runs entirely on open-source software but functions in parallel with closed AI systems. This keeps all the data within our walls, while allowing us to reap the benefits of AI. Initial results are promising. The system is more powerful than expected, scales well and keeps getting better.'