- OpenAI is the company behind ChatGPT, while Google created the Bard chatbot.
- The ChatGPT and Bard chatbots represent premium AI tools.
- Meta Platforms has released a free version of its artificial intelligence model.
As the race for artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates, Meta Platforms — the company behind Facebook and the recently launched Threads — unveiled a new free version of its AI model on Tuesday.
This new entry into the AI space will compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard and could also help drive future AI-powered tools, including blockchain-based AI ecosystems such as ActualizeAI, developed by AltSignals. Currently AltSignals is running a presale for the ASI token, the cryptocurrency intended to power ActualizeAI.
After a successful beta and stage 1, AltSignals is now in stage 3 of its presale (stage 2). The ASI token price increases at each stage and is presently valued at $0.01875.
Meta’s Open-Source Artificial Intelligence
Unlike OpenAI and Google, which have focused on releasing polished generative AI products, Meta initially released the Llama language model specifically for researchers to study and improve.
In contrast to the high-profile AIs from OpenAI and Google, Llama is open source, making its inner workings available to anyone — developers can inspect, modify, and build on it. Industry-leading models such as OpenAI’s GPT-4 and many other generative AI tools are closed and proprietary, preventing users from accessing their source code or learning how their data is handled.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook that “open source fosters innovation because far more developers can build new technologies with it.” He added that allowing more people to study open-source software helps identify and fix potential problems and “also improves security.”
Meta’s emphasis on security highlights a difference from some OpenAI models, which often warn users against providing false information or deviating from expected usage when interacting with the chatbot.
The recently released updated version, Llama 2, will be available to any company — either downloadable directly or accessible through a commercial agreement with the Microsoft Azure cloud service.
Microsoft Raises AI Pricing
Microsoft partners with both OpenAI and Meta and integrates their respective AI tools into its offerings.
However, on Tuesday Microsoft announced plans that signal the company expects significant financial returns from AI: it will charge at least 53% more for access to new AI features in widely used office software.
Microsoft also promised a more secure version of its Bing search for businesses to address data protection concerns, stimulate enterprise interest in AI, and increase competition with Google.
Under the new pricing, customers will now pay $30 per user per month to use the Microsoft 365 Copilot AI assistant, which Microsoft says can draft emails in Outlook, generate documents in Word, and surface nearly all employee data through chatbot prompts. The company announced these changes at its virtual Inspire conference.
For enterprise search, Microsoft is offering Bing Chat Enterprise, a bot that can create online content for businesses.
Unlike the consumer Bing available to millions of web users over recent months, the corporate version will not allow browsing or retention of user data that could be used to train the underlying technology. To ensure protection, users must sign in with work credentials.