by Ariel Penn
Hey there! Let’s talk about something called open source AI—it’s a cool way to share and improve computer programs so everyone can use them for free and add their own ideas. One example is Llama, which people around the globe are using to solve all sorts of problems, like helping doctors, teachers, and small business owners do their work better. Let’s look at some of the awesome projects people have created with Llama!
How We’re Building an Open Source AI Community
This year, we hosted events to help people learn about Llama. We gave them advice from experts, some funding to bring their ideas to life, and introduced them to a network of mentors and teammates. The projects they’ve made span science, education, healthcare, startups—you name it. Because the code is open and flexible, everyone can join in and make it safer and stronger. That’s the power of open source AI!
Health and Science
City of Hope
City of Hope is a hospital that treats cancer patients. They’re using large language models (LLMs) to help doctors find the right clinical trials for each patient. Since many cancer studies don’t get enough people, and most patients never hear about them, this tool checks whether a patient qualifies for a certain trial. It then gives doctors a “matching score,” so they don’t miss any good trial options.
Gene Outlook
A company called OtonoCo uses open source LLMs for a platform called Gene Outlook. It helps scientists and businesses easily understand and share important gene data about cancer patients. They even built a special version of Llama called GeneTuned LLM that knows all about living things. Next, they plan to use it to study gut health and other cool topics.
Education
DLYog Lab
DLYog Lab was started by Tarun and Mousumi Chawdhury to help their son, who needs extra support in school. They built an AI tool that quickly creates Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students with functional needs. The tool looks at meeting notes from parents, teachers, and specialists, then produces a plan filled with goals and services for each child.
“Llama helps small teams like ours bring helpful ideas to life. We did this for our son, but now we can help so many other families, too!”
– Tarun Chawdhury, Co-founder of DLYog Lab
The newest version of Llama can also look at students’ facial expressions and eye movements for better insights, making it even more helpful for teachers.
Pratham Education Foundation
Pratham Education Foundation (PEF) in India used Llama to create a WhatsApp chatbot that guides new moms on childcare and early learning. The internet can be confusing, so the chatbot provides trustworthy info in 12 Indian languages. Moms can even speak to the bot using voice messages, and it answers back with videos and audio tips. So far, over 40,000 moms have used it—impressive, right?
Small Business and Entrepreneurship
HiiiWAV
HiiiWAV is an incubator in Oakland, California, where artists—especially Black musicians—learn how to start businesses powered by AI. Since open source AI is usually cheaper and can be adapted more easily, Llama is at the top of their list. This way, they don’t have to worry about huge costs or complicated software.
Startups at HiiiWAV have created tools like GooRoo, a voice-assisted tool for making music, and Choice Scores, which transforms hip-hop songs into musical notes—how cool is that?
AIIRA
AIIRA (the AI Institute for Resilient Agriculture) builds AI tools for farmers, helping them with everyday tasks like keeping pests away and growing better crops. Because Llama is open source, it can be adjusted for different languages and locations. AIIRA uses Llama to give personal tips to farmers so they can protect their crops all over the world.
“Open source AI can scale anywhere, from the United States to Africa to India. It’s amazing that we can all share the latest AI advances!”
– Chinmay Hegde, AIIRA member and professor at New York University