Poolside launches free open AI model

AI startup Poolside has released two new large language models, Laguna M.1 and Laguna XS.2, optimized for agentic workflows and coding tasks. The smaller Laguna XS.2 is available under an open-source Apache 2.0 license, allowing developers to run it locally on consumer hardware. This move aims to foster community innovation and provide a powerful, efficient alternative to proprietary models. Poolside's approach focuses on software development as a proxy for general intelligence, utilizing advanced training techniques and novel developer environments like 'pool' and 'shimmer' to enhance AI capabilities.