Meta Announces Llama 3.1 Impact Grants Program to Support Societal Benefits of Open Source AI

Meta has opened applications for the Llama 3.1 Impact Grants program, designed to support innovative and impactful uses of its open source AI model, Llama 3.1. This initiative builds on last year’s successful Llama Impact Grants program, which aimed to tackle global challenges in education, the environment, and open innovation.

Expanding the Potential of Open Source AI

Meta believes that AI has unparalleled potential to enhance human productivity, creativity, and quality of life while driving economic growth and advancements in education, science, and innovation. The company is committed to making the benefits of AI accessible to people and organizations worldwide through open source technology. The Llama 3.1 Impact Grants program is part of this commitment, seeking to extend AI opportunities to even more communities around the globe.

Llama 3.1 Impact Grants Program

Applications are now open for the Llama 3.1 Impact Grants, which will fund projects that leverage the new features and capabilities of Meta’s latest large language model, Llama 3.1. This model supports previously unsupported languages, including French, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Thai, and rivals top AI models in areas such as general knowledge, steerability, reasoning, math, tool use, and multilingual translation.

This year, Meta will award a total of $2 million USD through the program. Eligible organizations from around the world can apply for an award of up to $500,000 USD through an open call for applications. In addition, Meta will host a series of regional events that provide technical guidance and mentorship to prospective applicants. These events will focus on themes relevant to local stakeholders, such as agriculture, business solutions, health tech, and cultural preservation. Attendees at these events will be eligible for specialized awards of up to $100,000 USD, in addition to being considered for the open call awards.

Building on Success

The Llama 3.1 Impact Grants program follows the inaugural Llama Impact Grants, which received over 800 applications from 90 countries. The program supported a wide range of innovative projects, from AI-powered math teaching assistants to models aimed at closing information gaps in maternal healthcare. Meta provided mentorship and community support to both finalists and runners-up, fostering a global network of developers dedicated to using AI for societal good.

Meta is inspired by the creativity and impact of the projects developed under the Llama Impact Grants and looks forward to supporting even more groundbreaking initiatives with Llama 3.1.

For more information on the Llama 3.1 Impact Grants program and how to apply, visit Meta’s official website.

Image: Meta

This article, "Meta Announces Llama 3.1 Impact Grants Program to Support Societal Benefits of Open Source AI" was first published on Small Business Trends