Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, is making its Llama series of AI models available to U.S. government agencies for national security purposes. The company claims that open AI can accelerate defense research while promoting America’s economic and security interests. However, concerns remain about the potential risks of using AI in defense applications.
Several major tech companies, including Accenture, Amazon Web Services, Anduril, Booz Allen, Databricks, Deloitte, IBM, Leidos, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Oracle, Palantir, Scale AI, and Snowflake, are partnering with Meta to bring Llama to government agencies. For example, Oracle is using Llama to process aircraft maintenance documents, while Lockheed Martin is offering it for use cases like generating computer code.
However, this move comes as the US military has been slow to adopt the technology due to concerns about ROI. Only the U.S. Army has a generative AI deployment so far. Some experts warn that open AI poses dangers because it relies on personal data that can be exfiltrated and weaponized by adversaries. The use of AI in defense applications also has vulnerabilities, like biases and hallucinations.
Meta’s policy normally prohibits developers from using Llama for military, warfare, or espionage missions, but an exception is being made for government agencies and contractors in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This move adds fuel to the ongoing debate over the merits and risks of open AI in defense applications.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/04/meta-says-its-making-its-llama-models-available-for-us-national-security-applications