HCL Launches Sovereign AI Platform for Secure Data Storage
HCLSoftware has introduced Domino 14.5, a sovereign AI platform built specifically for governments and heavily regulated industries that require complete data control.
With data centres facing increasing demand from public sector and compliance-heavy clients, the new release aims to deliver AI capabilities without compromising data residency or digital sovereignty.
Designed to keep sensitive data within the organisation’s own IT infrastructure or within sovereign European clouds, Domino 14.5 supports use cases such as secure automation, document processing and collaboration.
It allows agencies and regulated enterprises to deploy artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads in full compliance with legal frameworks like the European AI Act.
Data control drives platform design
Domino 14.5 has been launched in response to growing concerns about foreign access to data hosted on public cloud platforms. This is especially relevant for sectors such as finance, healthcare and public administration, where confidentiality and regulatory compliance are critical.
Richard Jefts, Executive Vice President and General Manager at HCLSoftware, explains the reasoning behind the platform. “In an uncertain geopolitical landscape, governments and regulated organisations, such as private banks, are increasingly concerned about their data sovereignty and digital independence,” he says.
HCL’s Domino 14.5 enables organisations to keep AI processing and associated data flows within controlled environments. This includes internal document systems, email, chat services and recorded communications — areas where AI is increasingly used but where data exposure poses high risk.
“The importance of data sovereignty and avoiding unnecessary foreign government influence extends beyond SaaS solutions and AI,” insists Richard. “With the launch of Domino+ 14.5, HCLSoftware is helping more than 200 government agencies safeguard their sensitive data.”
Backed by European cloud infrastructure
Supporting Domino’s data sovereignty credentials is HCL’s infrastructure partnership with IONOS, one of Europe’s largest hosting providers. IONOS delivers the underlying cloud infrastructure that meets European data protection requirements, ensuring that AI workloads are executed in compliant environments.
Achim Weiss, CEO at IONOS, sees the partnership as a strategic response to regional demands. “Today more than ever, true digital sovereignty is the key to Europe’s digital future,” he says. “That’s why at IONOS we are proud to provide the sovereign cloud infrastructure for HCL’s sovereign collaboration solutions.”
By combining HCL’s AI and collaboration tools with a European-operated infrastructure platform, the partnership offers an end-to-end environment for secure data centre and application hosting.
Security and compliance for enterprise and public sector
In addition to AI features, Domino 14.5 integrates a comprehensive suite of security and compliance tools, helping IT teams across public and regulated data centres manage risk and meet certification standards. The platform is BSI-certified for information security and includes built-in Security Event and Incident Management (SEIM) tools to monitor, detect and respond to threats in real time.
Domino 14.5 also complies with the European Accessibility Act and includes sovereign chat and video meeting services—offering an alternative to foreign-owned communication platforms. These functions are deployable in both public-sector data centre environments and highly regulated private clouds.
The platform’s design enables operational flexibility while maintaining control over location, access and data processing, which is essential for digital infrastructure teams tasked with balancing service delivery and compliance.
AI adoption in regulated data centre environments
With more than 200 government agencies already using HCL's platforms, Domino 14.5 strengthens the company’s position in sovereign digital infrastructure. Its secure AI functionality makes it a viable option for data centres serving defence, finance, health and energy organisations, where regulations often limit or restrict public cloud use.
HCLSoftware’s new release supports the wider shift toward sovereign infrastructure, as European governments and regulated industries move to protect sensitive workloads from foreign jurisdiction and unauthorised access.
By offering a platform that aligns with legal, operational and data residency requirements, HCL is enabling a broader set of organisations to access AI while maintaining full control over their digital assets – a critical capability for modern data centre operations.
