Close Menu
    Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram X (Twitter)
    Blue Tech Wave Media
    Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram X (Twitter)
    • Home
    • Leadership Alliance
    • Exclusives
    • Internet Governance
      • Regulation
      • Governance Bodies
      • Emerging Tech
    • IT Infrastructure
      • Networking
      • Cloud
      • Data Centres
    • Company Stories
      • Profiles
      • Startups
      • Tech Titans
      • Partner Content
    • Others
      • Fintech
        • Blockchain
        • Payments
        • Regulation
      • Tech Trends
        • AI
        • AR/VR
        • IoT
      • Video / Podcast
    Blue Tech Wave Media
    Home » Meta releases powerful Llama 3.1 AI model for free, sparking debate
    Llama-724
    Llama-724
    AI

    Meta releases powerful Llama 3.1 AI model for free, sparking debate

    By Zoey ZhuJuly 24, 2024No Comments3 Mins Read
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email
    • Meta has unveiled Llama 3.1, a highly advanced AI model available for free.
    • The release sparks debate over the potential risks and benefits of open-source AI models.

    OUR TAKE
    Meta’s decision to release Llama 3.1 for free demonstrates a bold move in the AI industry, challenging the prevailing closed-source approaches and potentially reshaping the landscape of AI development and deployment. This open model could drive innovation but also raises concerns about the control and misuse of powerful AI technologies. 

    — Zoey Zhu, BTW reporter

    What happened

    Meta introduced Llama 3.1 this Monday, its latest and most advanced large language model, available for free. This aligns with Meta’s strategy to democratise AI, contrasting with the closed approaches of other major companies. CEO Mark Zuckerberg noted that Meta is investing billions in AI development, although the exact cost of Llama 3.1 wasn’t disclosed.

    Llama 3.1 aims to match the intelligence of commercial models from OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. Meta claims it excels in certain AI benchmarks and offers upgraded versions with 70 billion and 8 billion parameters for various applications.

    Despite its open-source nature, Meta includes restrictions to prevent misuse, though skilled users can bypass these safeguards. The model is too large for regular computers, but cloud providers like Databricks, Groq, AWS, and Google Cloud offer hosting solutions.

    Also read: Meta’s reduced role in the 2024 election

    Also read: Meta announces withholding its latest AI model from the EU

    Why it’s important

    The release of Llama 3.1 marks a significant shift in the AI industry towards open and collaborative development. By making this powerful model freely available, Meta challenges the norm of closed, proprietary AI systems, potentially accelerating innovation and providing opportunities for researchers and startups without the barriers of high costs or restricted access.

    Mark Zuckerberg’s comparison of Llama to Linux highlights its potential long-term impact on AI. Just as Linux became foundational in cloud computing and mobile OS, Llama could play a similar role in AI, fostering widespread adoption and development. This aligns with Meta’s strategic interests, positioning the company as a leader in AI research.

    However, the open release also brings risks of misuse, raising ethical and security concerns. While Meta’s safeguards aim to mitigate these risks, the potential for circumvention underscores the debate about balancing openness and control in AI development. Ultimately, Llama 3.1 could drive significant changes in AI, promoting a more inclusive and innovative ecosystem while emphasising the need for responsible management.

    AI META open source
    Zoey Zhu
    • Instagram

    Zoey Zhu is a news reporter at Blue Tech Wave media specialised in tech trends. She got a Master degree from University College London. Send emails to z.zhu@btw.media.

    Related Posts

    AFRINET SA: Expands digital services in the DRC

    July 10, 2025

    Vodafone and Digital Realty launch subsea hub in Crete

    July 10, 2025

    Türkiye blocks Grok AI chatbot in new crackdown

    July 10, 2025
    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    CATEGORIES
    Archives
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • February 2025
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • August 2023
    • July 2023

    Blue Tech Wave (BTW.Media) is a future-facing tech media brand delivering sharp insights, trendspotting, and bold storytelling across digital, social, and video. We translate complexity into clarity—so you’re always ahead of the curve.

    BTW
    • About BTW
    • Contact Us
    • Join Our Team
    TERMS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Use
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.