Local Assistant for Science: Deployment of the LokAI Service within the LUMI AI Factory Project

In an era of dynamic artificial intelligence development, data security and access to advanced analytical tools are key to scientific progress. Fully addressing these needs, ACK Cyfronet AGH has officially launched the LokAI service – a virtual AI assistant fully integrated into the PL-Grid environment. This initiative represents Poland's contribution to the European advanced computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure, LUMI AI Factory (LAIF), offering scientists, students, and researchers a new, secure tool to support their daily work.

Data Security as a Priority

The main feature distinguishing the LokAI service from commercial assistants available in the public cloud is its architecture. All processes – from response generation and document analysis to model inference – take place entirely within the Cyfronet infrastructure.

Thanks to LokAI, scientists gain a powerful AI tool that does not compromise the confidentiality of their projects.

Features Supporting Daily Work (Research and Beyond)

LokAI is a versatile AI assistant that excels in both daily tasks and work requiring specialized knowledge. It combines the capabilities of advanced language models with functions that allow customization for specific projects or fields. The tool is targeted primarily at scientists using PLGrid infrastructure resources. However, LokAI can also be used by SMEs and public administration entities within the framework of Proof-of-Concept (POC).

Here are the key areas of application:

1. Document Analysis and Contextual Knowledge (RAG)

The File Search function allows users to upload their own materials to the system, such as: official documentation, notes, articles, or reports. Thanks to this, the assistant can analyze content directly from these sources.

Working in this mode enables users to receive more precise answers, as LokAI provides them solely based on the uploaded files, minimizing the risk of errors and "hallucinations". Furthermore, users can conduct conversations about the content of their own documents or combine information from different files into a logical whole.

Thanks to the ability to create a personal knowledge base, the assistant becomes a tool working on a dataset defined by the user, not just on the model's general knowledge.

Example application: Supporting the preparation of grant documentation based on technical and substantive guidelines, analyzing compliance of planned actions with regulations, or searching for errors in prepared publications by comparing created content with data from other files.

2. Your Own Expert in Any Field

In the "Agents" tab, users can create specialized assistant instances tuned to a specific context: a research team, a legal department, an engineering project, HPC cluster support, or internal company documentation. Each agent has its own system prompt and its own knowledge base, so it can serve as an expert where a general model is insufficient.

3. Technical Support and Problem Solving

LokAI serves as an expert that helps with:

• Configuring computing environments and job scheduling on PL-Grid clusters.
• Analyzing system errors and logs, accelerating the debugging process of simulation scripts.
• Access to knowledge about file systems, data migration, and resource optimization.

4. Education and Skill Development

For students and early-career researchers, the assistant is available 24/7 to explain:

• The complexities of parallel programming (MPI, OpenMP, CUDA).
• The mechanisms of supercomputers and GPU architectures.
• Best practices for using computing power in a cost-effective manner.

5. Assistance in Coding and Scripting

The assistant helps generate code snippets, scripts for launching computing tasks, and formulate conclusions from simulation results, saving scientists time on tedious administrative tasks.

European Context: LokAI in the LUMI AI Factory Project

The launch of LokAI is one of the elements of the LUMI AI Factory (LAIF) mission. This project integrates world-class computing power (including the LUMI supercomputer), high-value data, and expert competencies, creating an innovation ecosystem for science and industry.

Poland, through the participation of ACK Cyfronet AGH in the international LAIF consortium, actively implements these standards at the national level. The LokAI service serves as a practical access point for Polish scientists and entrepreneurs to the resources and knowledge generated within this initiative. Thanks to it, benefits from European infrastructure, such as access to the latest AI models and Datasets-as-a-Service, are directly available in a secure, local working environment.

How to Access LokAI?

If you are a scientist and have a PL-Grid account: Log in to the PL-Grid Portal, go to the "Access to LokAI" service, and click Apply. Detailed instructions for applying for services are available in PL-Grid documentation.

If you represent a business or a public administration entity: Contact us at: lumi@cyfronet.pl.

The Future of Supporting Science

The deployment of the LokAI service is a step towards a modern, digital research infrastructure that prioritizes security, availability, and efficiency. By combining the power of artificial intelligence with trust in local infrastructure, ACK Cyfronet AGH creates conditions to accelerate the pace of scientific discoveries in Poland and Europe.

We encourage all PLGrid users to try LokAI and integrate it into their daily use. This is a tool that not only answers questions but understands the scientific and technical context, supporting the creativity and innovation of every researcher.