IBM and Meta Convene 'AI Alliance' to Bolster Responsible AI Development, Despite Notable Absences

According to Cointelegraph: IBM and Meta are leading a coalition of over 50 technology companies, including AMD, Dell Technologies, Red Hat, Sony Group, Oracle, and the Linux Foundation, to form the AI Alliance, aimed at promoting responsible and transparent innovation in artificial intelligence (AI). This comes at a time when the race for supremacy in the AI industry is intensifying, underlining the unique step of collaboration over competition. The AI Alliance's objectives, outlined in a joint statement by IBM and Meta, underscore commitments to safety, collaboration, diversity, economic opportunity, and universal benefits. A collective annual research and development investment of over $80 billion underscores the alliance's dedication. Notably, the AI Alliance will establish a governing board and technical oversight committee to advance AI projects, with an eye on setting standards and guidelines. They aim to collaborate with governments, nonprofits, and nongovernment organizations operating within the AI industry, showing a proactive approach to industry-wide cooperation. Interestingly, educational and research institutions such as Cern, NASA, the Cleveland Clinic, Cornell University, Imperial College, and Yale University are included in the alliance, indicating an intention to interact with the academic community. Despite Meta's recent move to disband its responsible AI team, the company continues to express support for open-source AI models and responsible development. The AI Alliance seeks to facilitate progress irrespective of whether models are shared openly or not. However, key AI developers such as Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic, who initiated their initiative, The Frontier Forum, in July, are noticeably absent from the AI Alliance. This coalition formation follows discussions held earlier in 2023 where the Biden Administration had invited major AI developers to pledge their commitment to responsible AI development. This spotlight on responsible innovation indicates an industry-wide movement towards ethical AI practices, although the division amongst key players might present an interesting dynamic in the AI landscape.