Initiative overview
Albert API is a shared, government-run AI service that provides French public administrations with secure access to a range of generative AI models through a single interface. It is designed to support ministries and public sector teams in building AI-enabled features into their tools and services, without each organisation having to deploy and operate its own AI infrastructure. By offering a common technical foundation, Albert API helps accelerate adoption while keeping control, security, and cost management at the centre of the approach.
The initiative responds to a growing challenge across government: AI projects have often developed in parallel, leading to duplicated investments, fragmented technical choices, and uneven levels of maturity. At the same time, the computing resources required to run modern AI models are expensive and difficult to scale responsibly. Albert API addresses this by pooling resources and expertise, offering a standard way to access models and monitor usage, and making it easier for administrations to move from experimentation to reliable deployment.
Albert API is a key component of the broader interministerial strategy for generative AI, alongside complementary services such as document analysis, transcription, and retrieval from trusted information sources. Its objectives are to reduce barriers to entry for public teams, improve the consistency and safety of deployments, and enable faster delivery of practical use cases for public officials (such as drafting support, summarisation, and information search). It also supports stronger governance through usage tracking and cost controls, helping administrations scale AI in a transparent and accountable way.
Over time, Albert API has evolved from an initial shared inference service into a more structured foundation for interministerial AI deployment. It is expected to continue expanding in coverage and capabilities, while remaining interoperable and adaptable to different ministerial needs. For example, LaSuite Numerique integrates with Albert API to provide AI functionalities within several of its applications, including Visio (videoconferencing), Docs (collaborative document editing) and Grist (online spreadsheet and data management)This gradual scaling approach supports broader institutionalisation of AI across government, ensuring that new uses can grow on top of a stable, secure, and shared base rather than being rebuilt repeatedly across organisations.
