Meta, under Mark Zuckerberg’s leadership, is channeling its efforts towards the creation of an Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).
AGI, a theoretical technology designed to outperform human cognitive abilities, is seen as the next frontier in artificial intelligence. Zuckerberg’s vision for AGI goes beyond mere technical prowess. He envisions a system capable of reasoning, planning, coding, and possessing other cognitive abilities critical for advanced AI development.
One of the challenges Meta faces is defining what AGI actually is. Zuckerberg himself admits the difficulty in pinning down a precise definition, acknowledging the debate over whether AGI should mimic human intelligence, exceed it, or represent something entirely different. This ambiguity is not just philosophical; it has practical implications for the development process and the direction of research and investment.
To realize this vision, Meta is not only recruiting top AI researchers but also amassing a formidable technological infrastructure. The company plans to acquire 600,000 Nvidia GPUs by the end of 2024. This infrastructure is crucial for developing and running sophisticated AI models that could form the basis of AGI.
Meta’s current focus is on developing Llama 3, a successor to Llama 2, which includes the capability to generate code. This feature, notably absent in Meta’s previous language models and will be a cornerstone in understanding logical structures and knowledge hierarchies. Zuckerberg confirmed that Llama 3, along with future models, will be released openly, marking a more collaborative approach in AI development.
A pivotal aspect of Meta’s AGI project is whether to make it open source. Open-source AI can democratize access to this powerful technology, fostering innovation and collaboration. However, it also raises concerns about safety and misuse. Zuckerberg leans towards open source but remains cautious, emphasizing the need for responsible and safe development.
Interestingly, Zuckerberg’s plan intertwines AI development with the progression of the Metaverse. He anticipates that AGI will play a significant role in building and populating the interconnected worlds of 3D virtual reality.
