Model catalogue · Swiss AI Initiative (EPFL, ETH Zürich)
Apertus
The most transparent model in this catalogue, developed at ETH Zurich and EPFL: not only the weights are disclosed but the training data and procedures as well - a provenance record that closed models do not offer. Under professional-secrecy law it carries on three routes. At the EU operator of open models, the German operator, the addendum under section 203 of the German Criminal Code is signed, with instruction on criminal liability and a chain obligation onto the subcontractors. In dedicated operation on reserved hardware the same chain obligation binds the data centre operator. And when running on your own hardware on your own premises no third party participates at all, so the disclosure question under section 203 does not even arise.
Everything section 203 requires is settled, including the provider's confidentiality undertaking. You do not have to clarify anything further.
The operator bills separately - input EUR 1.25 · output EUR 2.00. The figure above is the blend of the two, weighted three quarters input to one quarter output, as it arises in a firm. Passed through at purchase price, without a mark-up.
What it is good for
- Fully disclosed - weights, training data and procedures are evidenced
- Public-academic provenance instead of a vendor black box
- Available through EU inference with a section 203 addendum and in self-operation
Where it stops
- Performance below the large proprietary models
- Case-law citations and references must be verified as a matter of principle
- No legal fine-tuning - the professional assessment stays with the practitioner
Routes examined
The same model, procured differently, is a different legal position. What is examined per route is the contract chain, not the model.
| Route | Section 203 status | Version on this route |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated instance in Germany, operated by Gosign | covered | - |
| EU inference of open models through the Gosign chain | covered | - |
| Self-operated at the firm (open weights) | covered | - |
The conditions behind a conditional status - which piece is open on which route and who closes it - are set out in the full matrix in the German catalogue, and we go through them in the conversation. The German page for Apertus carries the sources with their retrieval dates.
Is Apertus the right fit?
We go through your tasks and the route that carries them - and say plainly where it does not.
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