Traditional computing stalwarts such as IBM, Intel, Sony Group, and Dell, alongside Meta, several leading universities, and various tech startups and foundations, have joined forces to establish an “AI Alliance.”
This move appears to be a response to the perceived dominance of entities like OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon in discussions about artificial intelligence. Darío Gil, IBM’s Senior Vice President and head of the research lab, emphasized that the AI field is much larger than the few institutions that have dominated recent conversations.
Gil expressed concerns about the limited focus on a small number of institutions, without explicitly naming them. However, the reference likely includes OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, which has maintained tight control over its AI algorithms, permitting access only with permission.
Other major players like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have similarly refrained from open-sourcing their models, citing reasons of competition and safety. In response to this closed approach, the AI Alliance, comprising over 50 participants, aims to promote open-source, open science, and open innovation in the AI sector.
The alliance has outlined broad objectives, including establishing common frameworks for evaluating AI algorithm strength, allocating capital to AI research funds, and fostering collaboration on open-source models.
Participants in the AI Alliance range from corporate giants like IBM and Intel to chip manufacturers such as AMD and Cerebras, alongside AI startups like Hugging Face and Stability AI, and prestigious universities including Yale, Cornell, and Dartmouth. Gil cited IBM’s collaboration with NASA on an open-sourced AI model trained on geospatial data as an example within the alliance. This model can aid in tracking deforestation and predicting crop yields.
IBM has also committed approximately $100 million to support AI research projects at universities over the next five years and collaborated with Meta to develop an open-source toolkit for AI development. The specifics of governance within the alliance are still being worked out, with a focus on building a coalition, defining objectives, and the potential establishment of an external nonprofit through a governance structure.
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