On 14 March 2025, Internet Archive Europe hosted an informal borrel in Amsterdam thanks to the hospitality of the Eye Film Museum. This event featured a presentation by Brewster Kahle, the renowned digital librarian and founder of the Internet Archive, followed by an animated and constructive exchange. The event brought together experts, activists, and cultural heritage professionals to discuss the evolving role of open access, digital preservation, and artificial intelligence (AI) in archiving and more generally in the preservation and enhancement of our collective intelligence.

A Vision for Collective Intelligence

During his presentation, Brewster Kahle introduced the concept of “Public/Collective Intelligence,” emphasizing the importance of freely accessible knowledge across cultural and linguistic barriers. He highlighted how the EU Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive Article 3 exemption plays a crucial role in facilitating digital access and preservation.

Key initiatives discussed included:

• Web Crawling & Book Displays – Ensuring historical and contemporary knowledge remains accessible.
• LLMs for Small Languages – Supporting the development of AI models for underrepresented languages.
• The Book Server – A promising tool for distributing books efficiently (archive.org/bookserver).

Bridging Culture, Policy, and Technology

The discussion explored the intersection of AI, copyright, and open access, including:

• The role of AI in archiving – How large language models (LLMs) and AI tools can assist in digital preservation and bringing collections to life.
• Challenges for libraries and cultural institutions – Addressing the growing impact of digital regulation on open access.
• Strengthening advocacy efforts – The need for strong allies to support open-access initiatives across Europe.

Attendees also got an exclusive sneak peek at an upcoming documentary on digital archiving, underscoring the urgency of preserving cultural heritage in the digital age.

Looking Ahead – What’s Next for Internet Archive Europe?

With projects like Internet Archive Switzerland in development and a continued push for open cultural access, the Internet Archive Europe community is set for impactful contributions in 2025. Discussions at the borrel laid the groundwork for future collaborations, including a key presentation at the 2025 LIBER Annual Conference in Lausanne this July.

A huge thank you to all participants for an insightful discussion on the future of digital knowledge preservation. Let’s continue working towards a world where information remains free, accessible, and preserved for future generations.

For more updates, visit: internetarchive.eu/news

Renowned digital librarian Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive, will deliver a lecture at Leiden University on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, from 16:00 to 17:00 CET. The event will take place at Rapenburg 73, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands (2311 GJ), in the Telders Auditorium.

Register here to attend the event.

Brewster Kahle and the Mission of the Internet Archive

Brewster Kahle has dedicated his career to creating a digital library accessible to all, preserving over 145+ petabytes of data—including books, web pages, music, television, and software. The Internet Archive collaborates with 1,200+ library and university partners worldwide to safeguard cultural heritage and enhance public access to knowledge.

Founded in 2004, Stichting Internet Archive / Internet Archive Europe is a non-profit research library that works with European cultural heritage organisations to archive digital collections. Thanks to support from KPN/XS4ALL, these valuable resources are stored in the Netherlands.

Exploring AI and Digital Archives in Europe

With the encouragement of European directives, new opportunities are emerging to make digital collections more dynamic and accessible. This lecture will explore how Internet Archive Europe can collaborate with research institutions and cultural heritage organisations to expand access to digital archives.

Key discussion points will include:

• Developing assistive technologies to help individuals with reading difficulties access library resources.
• The potential for Public AI to reflect European values and support smaller languages.
• Using AI and machine learning to address major challenges like climate change.
• Leveraging AI for enhanced metadata and improved searchability of vast collections.

Join the Discussion on the Future of Digital Knowledge

This lecture is an opportunity to engage in a thought-provoking conversation about the future of AI, digital libraries, and open access in Europe. How can Internet Archive Europe and its partners maximise the potential of AI to serve the public good?

Event Details:
Location: Telders Auditorium, Leiden University, Rapenburg 73, Leiden, Netherlands
Date & Time: Tuesday, March 18, 2025 | 16:00 – 17:00 CET
Register now
Language: English

This event is open to researchers, librarians, and anyone interested in the intersection of AI, digital preservation, and open access.

A Breakthrough in Swedish Speech-to-Text

KB-Whisper exemplifies AI’s potential to serve the public good. Trained on over 50,000 hours of Swedish-language audio—including television programs, parliamentary sessions, and regional dialects—the model delivers the most accurate Swedish speech transcription to date, reducing word-level errors by 47% compared to existing models.

This achievement is possible thanks to the EU’s copyright and AI rules, which provide a regulatory framework that supports responsible AI development while ensuring transparency and accountability. By enabling institutions like KB to access extensive datasets for training, the EU empowers AI models that cater to European linguistic and cultural needs.

Enhancing Accessibility and Innovation

KB-Whisper is a game-changer for accessibility. By improving television subtitles and making Sweden’s national archives more searchable, the model significantly expands public access to information. Beyond cultural applications, it also enhances customer service through automated transcription and assists healthcare professionals with precise medical dictation transcriptions.

These applications showcase how EU policies, such as the AI Act and open-data initiatives, drive AI innovation that prioritizes inclusivity, linguistic diversity, and public knowledge access.

AI as a Democratic Tool for Research

Another standout feature of KB-Whisper is its ability to unlock historical and cultural materials for researchers. By transcribing audio archives into searchable text, the model grants academic researchers and the public access to previously inaccessible content.

The EU’s commitment to open science and knowledge-sharing has led to the democratization of data, underscoring the vital role of publicly funded AI projects in benefiting society as a whole.

The EU Advantage in AI Development

KB-Whisper’s success highlights the advantages of AI development within the EU’s regulatory framework. By promoting ethical AI training, ensuring transparency, and safeguarding linguistic diversity, the EU fosters innovation that benefits businesses, citizens, research institutions, and cultural organizations alike.

The EU’s approach to AI regulation proves that proper governance strengthens rather than stifles technological progress. By balancing innovation with rights protection, Europe is shaping AI solutions that are both cutting-edge and socially responsible. And that’s a model worth following.