Meta Platforms Inc META announced it will make its open-source Llama artificial intelligence models available to U.S. government agencies working on national security and defense applications, marking a significant expansion of the technology’s authorized use cases.

The social media giant is partnering with major government contractors and technology firms including Amazon.com Inc.‘s AMZN Amazon Web Services, Lockheed Martin Corp LMT, Microsoft Corp MSFT, Oracle Corp ORCL, and Palantir Technologies Inc PLTR to implement these AI models across various defense initiatives.

“As an American company, and one that owes its success in no small part to the entrepreneurial spirit and democratic values the United States upholds, Meta wants to play its part to support the safety, security and economic prosperity of America – and of its closest allies too,” said Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs at Meta.

Several contractors have already begun implementing Llama in their operations:

• Oracle is using the technology to improve aircraft maintenance by helping technicians diagnose problems more quickly
• Scale AI is fine-tuning the model for national security missions and identifying potential vulnerabilities
• Lockheed Martin has integrated Llama into its AI Factory for code generation and data analysis
• Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure are hosting the models on secure cloud platforms for sensitive government data

See Also: Palantir’s AI Gamble Pays Off As Customer Revenue From Single Customer Jumps 12x In Under 8 Months — Alex Karp Quips: ‘We Should Just Go Home’

Why It Matters: Meta emphasized that making Llama available for defense applications aligns with U.S. interests in the global AI race, particularly as nations like China invest heavily in developing their own open-source models.

The company noted that large language models can support various aspects of national security, including streamlining logistics, tracking terrorist financing, and strengthening cyber defenses.

Beyond military applications, Meta highlighted broader public sector benefits, with Deloitte implementing Llama-based solutions for government agencies and nonprofits to improve public service delivery in areas such as education and energy.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.