Synopsis
Meta plans to release new AI models under Alexandr Wang, with some versions open source but certain parts kept private for safety and competitive reasons. Unlike OpenAI and Anthropic, Meta aims to provide widely accessible, US-made models for developers and consumers, reflecting a broader industry trend toward cautious openness.While Meta plans to open source some versions, it is unlikely to do so straight away or in full. The company wants to keep certain components private for now, partly to manage safety risks, the report said.
This marks a subtle change. Meta has long stood out among major US tech firms for allowing developers to modify its frontier models. However, there has been growing talk that it may scale back that openness, especially as the AI race intensifies.
Wang appears to be shaping this direction. He sees Meta as a way to provide AI models that are widely accessible to developers and everyday users. Unlike competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic, which mainly target businesses and governments with almost no open models, Meta aims to provide a US-built option that is open for developers.
Meta argues that its strength lies in its consumer reach. By embedding AI tools into platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, it can deliver its technology to billions of users worldwide, often for free. That scale is difficult for competitors to match.
The new models are also meant to help Meta catch up. Its previous Llama 4 family fell behind rivals, and newer systems from competitors are expected soon. Axios said that Meta does not necessarily expect to lead in every area, but it believes it can still stand out in ways that matter to consumers.
Meta wants to stay open enough to attract developers, but closed enough to protect its biggest models so as to maintain a competitive edge. It reflects a broader industry trend, where even advocates of openness are becoming more cautious with their top-tier AI.
Billionaire Elon Musk, one of OpenAI’s founders, has been publicly clashing with its CEO, Sam Altman, over the shift. Musk argues that the organisation has moved away from its original mission. In his view, the name OpenAI itself reflects a commitment to openness, and he believes its models should still be freely accessible.
Meanwhile, Chinese tech giant Alibaba recently chose to keep its most advanced Qwen models closed, despite previously supporting open-source releases.
