The Debate on Proprietary vs. Open Source Language Models

A key debate in the world of artificial intelligence revolves around whether large language models should be proprietary or open source, with contributions from the broader community. Industry leaders such as OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google believe that maintaining tighter control over these models is more sensible. However, IBM and Meta are champions of an open approach.

The Formation of the AI Alliance

IBM and Meta have joined forces with over 50 other companies, research groups, and academic institutions to establish the AI Alliance. This collaborative community is dedicated to advancing the cause of "open, safe, responsible AI." Noteworthy participants in the group include Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Oracle, ServiceNow, Sony, SoftBank, Dell Technologies, as well as startups like HuggingFace (an AI model marketplace), Stability AI (developer of open source models), and Cerebras (an AI chip maker). Esteemed academic members such as Yale, UC Berkeley, Cornell, Dartmouth, the University of Illinois, and the University of Tokyo have also joined the alliance. Additionally, prominent institutions such as NASA, the National Science Foundation, and CERN are part of this influential consortium.

Commitment to Openness and Innovation

The AI Alliance's statement emphasizes the significance of open and transparent innovation in empowering various stakeholders within the AI community. The intent is to equip researchers, builders, and adopters with relevant information and tools that prioritize safety, diversity, and generate economic opportunities and widespread benefits.

Goals of the AI Alliance

The AI Alliance has outlined its objectives which include developing benchmarks and evaluation standards, as well as creating tools and resources to aid in the advancement of AI systems. They particularly aim to facilitate the development of multilingual models that can effectively address complex challenges in climate, education, and other critical domains.

IBM and Meta: Leaders in the Movement

Highlighting their credibility as leaders of the AI Alliance, both IBM and Meta have made significant contributions to the open source community. Meta, for instance, has made its Llama 2 large language model available as an open source resource, free for both research and commercial purposes. IBM, with its extensive history in open source software, owns Red Hat, a renowned provider of services for Linux system users.

In conclusion, the AI Alliance stands as a testament to the collective commitment towards openness and collaboration within the AI community. By fostering transparency and innovation, the group seeks to enable the development of AI systems that prioritize safety, diversity, and generate beneficial opportunities for society as a whole.

The Future of AI: Embracing the Power of Open Source

In the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence (AI), the debate around open source versus closed systems has been gaining traction. With the emergence of the AI Alliance, a group of industry leaders investing billions in research and development (R&D) annually, the future of AI hangs in the balance.

Dario Gil, Director of Research at IBM, emphasizes the significance of this alliance, as its members collectively boast over $80 billion in annual R&D investments and employ over 1 million staff members. Gil believes that the power of this collaboration lies in its organic and viral nature, with an untapped wealth of knowledge and expertise waiting to be unlocked.

While IBM acknowledges that there is a place for proprietary software in the AI landscape, much like with Linux, they believe that an open source model holds great value. Gil argues that a thriving AI industry requires a vibrant and open ecosystem.

Meta, another advocate for open source AI, shares IBM's sentiment. Nick Clegg, Meta's President for Global Affairs, asserts that developing AI openly allows more people to access its benefits, fosters innovation, and promotes safety. The AI Alliance aims to bring together researchers, developers, and companies to share tools and knowledge, regardless of whether models are openly shared or not.

The open versus closed debate surrounding AI is reminiscent of the discourse surrounding computer operating systems several decades ago. IBM played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Linux Foundation, supporting the development of an open source alternative to proprietary options like Windows and Unix. As history repeats itself, IBM continues to champion openness in the AI realm.

Speaking at the IBM Quantum Summit, an annual event dedicated to quantum computing, Gil reiterates IBM's holistic vision for the future of computing. He believes that successful computing will fuse high precision classical computing, neural-based processing and AI, and qubit-based quantum computing into a unified entity. Gil urges us to think of these elements as interconnected rather than independent, emphasizing the convergence of all three in the future of computing.

Looking ahead, Gil envisions much more than a mere advancement of Moore's Law. According to him, the future holds a fundamental redefinition of the very nature of information. As we navigate this paradigm shift, the power of open source AI promises to shape and revolutionize the future of technology.