(San Francisco) Meta, IBM and dozens of start-ups and researchers formed an alliance Tuesday to defend a more open and collaborative method of developing artificial intelligence (AI), as a counterpoint to the closed approach of leaders in the field, OpenAI and Google.
The philosophical debate between the two visions has become one of the main battlegrounds for the future of AI.
Many industry players and observers fear that OpenAI – the inventor of ChatGPT, largely funded by Microsoft – and Google are becoming gatekeepers to an increasingly essential technology.
“This is a crucial moment to define the future of AI,” said Arvind Krishna, the boss of IBM, in the press release announcing the creation of the AI Alliance.
OpenAI and Google have developed closed systems for language models.
The two Silicon Valley companies have been leading the race in this space since the release of ChatGPT a year ago.
They defend their methods to ensure that technology is safe, that it is deployed ethically and responsibly – and that it does not fall into the hands of bad actors.
On the other side of the debate, defenders of so-called “open source” systems (free access to programming code) argue that sharing technology helps stimulate innovation and ensure that no organization takes a dangerous lead.
Their position was strengthened earlier this month by the conflict within the OpenAI board, which resulted in a strengthening of Microsoft’s role.
“The pursuit of open innovation levels the playing field and allows everyone to realize the benefits of generative AI,” said Jennifer Chayes, dean of the Department of Computer Science at UC Berkeley.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, regularly promotes its “open source” approach.
Unlike OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, Meta has made its LLaMA models available for researchers and startups to modify and refine.
“We believe it is best for AI to be developed in an open way: more people can access the benefits, create innovative products and work on security,” said Nick Clegg, Head of Global Affairs at Meta.
IBM and Meta are joined by around 50 companies and organizations, including Intel and NASA. OpenAI and Google are not founding members.