The first GPT-4-class AI model anyone can download has arrived: Llama 405B

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the release of a new AI language model called Llama 3.1 405B by Meta (Facebook), which is potentially the first openly available large language model (LLM) that rivals the capabilities of top AI models like GPT-4 and Claude 3.5 Sonnet. The article explores the implications of this release, including the debate around the use of the term "open source" and the potential impact on the AI industry.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Overview of Llama 3.1 405B

1. What are the key features and capabilities of the Llama 3.1 405B model?

• Llama 3.1 405B is a 405 billion parameter AI language model developed by Meta, which is potentially the first openly available LLM that rivals the capabilities of top AI models like GPT-4 and Claude 3.5 Sonnet.
• It has state-of-the-art capabilities in general knowledge, steerability, math, tool use, and multilingual translation.
• The model can be used for long-form text summarization, multilingual conversational agents, coding assistants, and creating synthetic data for training future AI models.

2. How does the Llama 3.1 405B model compare to other top AI language models in terms of performance?

• According to Meta's own benchmarks, the Llama 3.1 405B model performs very close to GPT-4 Turbo, GPT-4o, and Claude 3.5 Sonnet on tests like MMLU (undergraduate level knowledge), GSM8K (grade school math), and HumanEval (coding).
• However, the article notes that these benchmarks may not accurately reflect the subjective experience of interacting with the AI models, and that measuring the "vibemarking" on platforms like Chatbot Arena may be a better way to judge the models.

3. What are the technical details of the Llama 3.1 405B model?

• The "405B" in the name refers to the 405 billion parameters of the model, which is a measure of the size and complexity of the neural network powering the AI.
• Meta trained the model on over 15 trillion tokens of data scraped from the web, using more than 16,000 H100 GPUs.
• The Llama 3.1 models also include upgraded versions of the smaller 8B and 70B models, with improved multilingual support and extended context length.

[02] Implications and Debate

1. How does the release of Llama 3.1 405B challenge the business models of "closed" AI model vendors?

• Llama 3.1 405B is an "open-weights" model, meaning anyone can download the trained neural network files and run or fine-tune them, unlike models from companies like OpenAI that keep the weights proprietary and monetize through subscriptions or API access.
• This directly challenges the business model of "closed" AI models and is seen as a way for Meta to play spoiler in the market, using a model subsidized by its social media war chest.

2. What is the debate around the use of the term "open source" in the context of the Llama 3.1 release?

• The article notes that "open source" has a very specific meaning defined by the Open Source Initiative, which the Llama 3.1 release does not fully meet.
• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has used the term "open source" in the title of his essay on the release, which some see as a "small-scale act of cultural vandalism" that weakens the agreed-upon meaning of the term.
• The Llama 3.1 models are actually "open-weights" models, which have certain restrictions and licensing requirements that differentiate them from true open-source software.

3. What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of Meta's approach to releasing the Llama 3.1 models?

• The article suggests that Meta's approach of releasing an openly available LLM can benefit the company by avoiding being "locked into a system" where they have to pay "tolls" to access AI capabilities, similar to how Apple charges developers on its App Store.
• However, the open-weights model still comes with licensing requirements and the ability for Meta to potentially revoke access, which some see as undermining the true spirit of open-source development.