Inference provider
Groq
Serves
7 open model families
A US-headquartered inference provider running open models on custom LPU hardware for very low latency, serving a curated/narrower open catalogue (Llama 3.1 8B, Llama 3.3 70B, gpt-oss 20B/120B, Qwen3, Gemma, Mixtral, DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B).
Do you really own it?
Substantial
none·limited·partial·substantial·full
Analytical input: AOI B · 70/100
Floor-weighted, not averaged. The weakest factor caps the level, because ownership is a conjunction. No factor is weak and both use-and-modify and data-control are strong, so the level is substantial; a moderate elsewhere keeps it short of full.
You substantially own low-latency inference here: the Groq Services Agreement and your-data docs - actually read this session - confirm you keep all IP in Inputs/Outputs, Groq never trains on your data, inference is not retained by default, and ZDR is available to all via Data Controls, with a portable OpenAI-compatible API exit. It falls short of full because the opt-in batch and fine-tuning paths retain data in US GCP storage, the SOC 2 report and ISO posture are unverified, and the US HQ (DPA permits US processing) carries CLOUD Act exposure. Turn on ZDR, keep sensitive data out of the batch/fine-tuning paths, and look to an EU-sovereign provider if you need mature EU residency.
1
Use and modify freelyCan you use it freely and leave without lock-in?
StrongOpenAI-compatible API (docs read: base URL https://api.groq.com/openai/v1) over open-weight models keeps workloads portable - the same checkpoints run elsewhere or self-hosted - and the Services Agreement confirms the customer retains all IP in Inputs/Outputs; the custom LPU and narrower catalogue are coverage limits, not exit blockers.
How this scores (AOI sub-dimensions)
Transparency & lock-in3/5how portable it is and how easily you can leaveAn OpenAI-compatible API (base URL read from the docs) over open-weight models keeps it portable, but custom LPU hardware and a narrower/curated catalogue (no full DeepSeek/GLM/Mistral or arbitrary fine-tunes) limit coverage and are lock-in considerations.
Cost4/5how the pricing model compares and how predictable it isLow per-token rates read from Groq's own pricing page (Llama 3.3 70B $0.59/$0.79, gpt-oss-120B $0.15/$0.60) plus a rate-limited free/developer tier (e.g.
2
TransparencyAre the binding terms published, legible and independently checkable?
ModerateThe governing Services Agreement and DPA were read this session and are legible - they state customer IP retention, never-train, retention windows and a published sub-processor list - but the SOC 2 report itself is gated (not read) and ISO 27001/region-pinning are unconfirmed.
How this scores
Not a scored AOI dimension. For a hosted provider, transparency is whether the binding terms are published, legible and were actually read - the read/unverified evidence below, not a certification. A strong rating here must trace to a retrieved binding document.
3
Doesn't fail youDoes it stay up and stay secure?
ModerateThe trust centre attests SOC 2 Type II operational controls, but as a fast-scaling hardware startup Groq has no public uptime SLA or status history independently verified this session.
How this scores (AOI sub-dimensions)
Reliability2/5whether it stays up, with an SLA and status historyNo incidents surfaced and the trust centre attests operational controls, but this is a fast-scaling hardware startup with no public uptime SLA or status history independently verified this session.
Security4/5the controls protecting your traffic and dataSOC 2 Type II controls per the trust centre, and the Services Agreement documents ZDR/Data Controls and that Groq does not access/store/retain Inputs or Outputs except to provide the service.
Compliance4/5which independent certifications and attestations it holdsThe trust centre states SOC 2 Type II is maintained (2025 report), the DPA covers GDPR/CCPA/PDPL and a published sub-processor list, and a HIPAA BAA is offered - the DPA and BAA were read this session.
4
Doesn't extract your dataDo the binding terms keep your data and IP yours?
StrongThe binding Services Agreement (read) states the customer retains IP in Inputs/Outputs, Groq never accesses customer data for training, and Inputs/Outputs are not accessed/stored/retained except to provide the service; the your-data docs confirm no default inference retention and ZDR for all via Data Controls. Caveat: the opt-in batch (30-day) and fine-tuning features retain data in US GCP storage.
How this scores (AOI sub-dimensions)
Data governance4/5retention, training-on-inputs and data ownershipThe binding Groq Services Agreement and DPA - both read this session - state the customer retains all IP in Inputs/Outputs, Groq never accesses customer data for training and may not use Inputs/Outputs to train or fine-tune models, inference is not retained by default, and ZDR is available via Data Controls.
Residency3/5where your data is processed and storedA EU data centre exists (Helsinki, launched July 2025 with Equinix), satisfying the "EU region available" anchor, but it is very recent, default storage is otherwise US, region pinning is unconfirmed, and the DPA expressly permits US processing - so residency guarantees are not yet mature.
How the AOI score is computed
The seven dimensions above, each scored 0 to 5, weighted and summed to the 0 to 100 headline. The score is the analytical input behind the ownership verdict, not the verdict itself.
DimensionScoreWeightPoints
Data governance4/50.2419.2
Compliance4/50.1814.4
Residency3/50.169.6
Security4/50.1411.2
Reliability2/50.124.8
Transparency & lock-in3/50.106.0
Cost4/50.064.8
HeadlineB · 70/100
Sources
Every rating traces to a primary document. Read means the text was verified; unverified means it is known to exist but has not yet been read.
DocumentWhat it grounds
Documentationread2026-07-25
By default Groq does not retain customer data for inference requests; Groq is not permitted to use Inputs or Outputs to train or fine-tune AI Model Services or other models and will never access Customer Data for training; batch input/output files are retained 30 days unless deleted; fine-tuning weights/datasets are retained until deleted; all customers may enable ZDR in Data Controls; retained data sits in US GCP buckets.
Terms of serviceread2026-07-25
Groq Services Agreement: Customer retains all Intellectual Property Rights in Customer Data (including Inputs and Outputs); Groq will never access Customer Data for training and is not permitted to use Inputs/Outputs to train or fine-tune models; Groq does not access, use, store or retain Inputs/Outputs except as necessary to provide the Cloud Services; on termination Customer Data is deleted within 30 days; eligible customers may enable zero data retention in the Console.
Data Processing Addendumread2026-07-25
GroqCloud Data Processing Addendum: covers GDPR/CCPA/PDPL; Groq maintains a sub-processor list at trust.groq.com/subprocessors with a 15-day written objection right; Personal Data may be transferred to and Processed in the United States and other countries; batch files retained 30 days, fine-tuning data until deleted, ZDR available via Data Controls.
Data Processing Addendumread2026-07-25
GroqCloud Business Associate Addendum: supplements the Services Agreement; Groq acts as business associate/subcontractor for PHI with administrative, technical and physical safeguards; the Compound system is excluded as not a HIPAA Covered Cloud Service.
Securityread2026-07-25
Groq trust centre states SOC 2 Type II is maintained (2025 report) and hosts the GDPR/HIPAA compliance posture and a sub-processor list (updated November 2025); the SOC 2 report itself is gated behind request.
Subprocessorsunverified2026-07-25
Groq publishes its sub-processor list and the nature of services they provide at trust.groq.com/subprocessors (referenced by the DPA); the individual sub-processor entries were not enumerated this session.
Vendor announcementread2026-07-25
Groq launched its first European data centre footprint in Helsinki, Finland on 6 July 2025 with Equinix, bringing inference capacity closer to EU users; Equinix Fabric offers public, private or sovereign infrastructure and builds on Groq's existing Dallas US site.
Vendor announcementread2026-07-25
Groq pricing page: per-token rates including Llama 3.3 70B $0.59/M in, $0.79/M out and gpt-oss-120B $0.15/M in, $0.60/M out, with a free/developer tier; other example rates are approximate.
Documentationread2026-07-25
Groq OpenAI-compatibility docs: use the OpenAI client libraries against base URL https://api.groq.com/openai/v1 with a Groq API key; the /openai/v1/models endpoint lists active models; some advanced OpenAI features are not yet supported.
Documentationread2026-07-25
Groq supported-models docs list the served open-weight catalogue (Llama 3.1 8B, Llama 3.3 70B, gpt-oss 20B/120B, Qwen3, Gemma, Mixtral, DeepSeek R1 Distill Llama 70B) plus Whisper speech-to-text.
Documentationread2026-07-25
Groq model-deprecation docs: Groq gives commercially reasonable prior notice, provides a migration path and recommended replacement for deprecated production models, may discontinue preview models at short notice, and offers a pro-rata refund for prepaid deprecated models left without an alternative.
Documentationread2026-07-25
Groq rate-limits docs: free/developer-tier quotas - e.g.
Terms of serviceunverified2026-07-25
Groq publishes an Acceptable Use & Responsible AI Policy governing permitted use of the Cloud Services; its clauses were not read in full this session.