ALIA is Spain's public AI programme. Salamandra and ALIA are model families published by the Barcelona Supercomputing Center's Language Technologies Laboratory. A base model and an instruction-tuned model are different releases and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Which ALIA instruction-tuned versions are available?
The official BSC repositories list instruction-tuned checkpoints alongside base models. The checkpoint identifiers below contain the version month; consult the linked model card and repository history for precise publication and revision dates.
| Model | Version month / identifier | Use to investigate | Official model card | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALIA-40b | Base model | Further adaptation and research | BSC-LT/ALIA-40b | Last verified |
| ALIA-40b-instruct-2601 | January 2026 checkpoint | Instruction-following and conversational tasks | BSC model card | Last verified |
| ALIA-40b-instruct-2605 | May 2026 checkpoint | Updated instruction following | BSC model card | Last verified |
| ALIA-40b-instruct-2606 | June 2026 checkpoint | Updated instructions, robustness and safety work | BSC model card | Last verified |
The current repository is the reference for its licence, limitations, prompt format and recommended runtime. A later version name does not remove the need to test your own task. BSC's publisher page also lists quantised variants and related releases; those are distinct artefacts.
How do ALIA and Salamandra differ?
ALIA names the public programme as well as a model family; Salamandra is a related multilingual model family. The official BSC model repositories identify individual base and instruction-tuned checkpoints. Evaluate a specific checkpoint and revision rather than assuming that every model shares the same capabilities or deployment requirements.
The Barcelona ecosystem guide explains the research setting. The Spain AI guide connects these projects with enterprise adoption and regulation.
How should a company evaluate a model?
Use representative tasks in the languages and domains that matter to the company. Check accuracy, failure modes, data handling, latency, deployment requirements and the human review needed. Record the checkpoint, revision, configuration and test set so comparisons can be repeated.
Open weights and a permissive licence can support self-hosting, but they do not automatically establish compliance, safety or fitness for a particular use. Start with the LLM selection guide and the AI Act timeline.
What is the next step for leadership?
Identify the business question, who owns the workflow and the evidence needed before choosing a model. A private executive briefing can help frame that decision. The Summit programme and available recordings provide related practitioner perspectives.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Is ALIA only a base model?
No. BSC also publishes instruction-tuned ALIA checkpoints, including the 2601, 2605 and 2606 versions linked in this guide.
Does open-weight availability establish compliance?
No. Evaluate the specific task, model limitations, data handling and applicable legal responsibilities.
Change log
- — Added official instruction-tuned checkpoint links and dated verification; removed promotional funding statistics and unsupported comparative claims.
Written by
- Guillaume RostandCEO, AI Summit Barcelona
Guillaume leads AI Summit Barcelona. His editorial work covers AI events and the European AI ecosystem.
- Tanguy WinckerCo-founder, AI Summit Barcelona
Tanguy is a co-founder of AI Summit Barcelona. His editorial work covers company programmes, event planning and the Barcelona ecosystem.
- Adam HruskaCo-founder, AI Summit Barcelona
Adam is a co-founder of AI Summit Barcelona and contributes to its guides on AI events and the European ecosystem.
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