ALIBABA’S cloud computing division said it has become the first Chinese enterprise to support Meta’s open-source artificial intelligence (AI) model Llama, allowing its Chinese business users to develop programs off the model.

Meta released Llama2, a commercial version of Llama, this month to provide businesses a powerful free-of-charge alternative to pricey proprietary models sold by OpenAI and Google.

At the time, Meta said its preferred partner for Llama2 was Microsoft but it would also be available through other partners.

“Today, Alibaba Cloud has launched the first training and deployment solution for the entire Llama2 series in China, welcoming all developers to create customized large models on Alibaba Cloud,” Alibaba Cloud said in a statement Tuesday published on its WeChat account.

The relationship with Meta could provide sticky customers for Alibaba’s cloud business at a time it is facing intensified competition at home and is planning a stock market listing.

The United States has been actively looking to restrict Chinese companies’ access to many U.S.-developed technologies related to AI, particularly in the area of AI semiconductors. The Llama2 move would allow Alibaba to further its own AI ambitions by keeping abreast of the latest developments in the technology.

For Meta, it could bring closer ties with the world’s second-biggest economy.

A Meta spokesperson declined to comment. Alibaba Cloud did not respond to a request for comment.

China has been trying to catch up to the United States in the field of AI. (SD-Agencies)