Microsoft made a significant stride in the realm of artificial intelligence by investing billions of dollars in OpenAI, known for its chatbot technology that is integrated into various essential products, including search.
However, Microsoft is emphasizing that its commitment to generative AI extends beyond OpenAI. During its Inspire conference on Tuesday, the company announced the availability of Meta’s latest AI large language model, called Llama 2, on its Azure cloud-computing service.
According to a blog post from Meta, Microsoft has been designated as the “preferred partner” for their Llama 2 software, which is now available at no cost for both companies and researchers.
Microsoft expressed enthusiasm about Meta’s open approach with Llama 2, as both companies share a common commitment to making AI accessible to all and maximizing its advantages. They are delighted to be Meta’s chosen partner as Llama 2 makes its debut for commercial customers.
A spokesperson from Meta stated that their primary focus is not on monetizing Llama 2. However, if companies wish to utilize the software through a commercial license, they would be required to compensate Microsoft for the enterprise hosting capabilities.
Back in February, Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, made a public announcement about the release of Llama, an AI tool aimed at aiding scientists and engineers in exploring AI applications like question answering and document summarization.
While the deal with Microsoft may not directly generate revenue for Meta, it holds the potential to benefit the company by expanding the reach of its homegrown AI software to a broader audience of users and developers. Additionally, Llama 2 will be accessible through other platforms, such as Amazon Web Services and Hugging Face, a well-known service in the AI research community.
This collaboration is significant for Microsoft as it demonstrates the software giant’s willingness to support an AI language model that wasn’t developed by OpenAI. In response, Microsoft’s shares saw an increase of approximately 4.7% during midday trading, reaching $362.12.
Conclusion
Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI marked a milestone in AI, integrating chatbot technology into key products. Beyond OpenAI, Microsoft’s commitment to generative AI extended to Meta’s Llama 2, available on Azure. Designated as the “preferred partner,” this partnership aimed to democratize AI, benefiting users and developers alike. The deal’s impact was reflected in Microsoft’s stock, rising 4.7% to $362.12
