Meta Launches Llama Impact Awards to Drive AI Innovation in Africa and Beyond

In a bid to leverage recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) for social good, Meta has announced the launch of the Meta Llama Impact Innovation Awards. These awards aim to recognize and support organizations in Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, Asia Pacific, and Latin America that are using Meta’s latest AI models, Llama 2 and Llama 3, to tackle pressing regional challenges.

Since the introduction of Meta Llama 2 in July 2023 and the subsequent launch of Meta Llama 3 in April 2024, these open-source large language models have demonstrated exceptional performance across various industry benchmarks. They have been particularly noted for their enhanced reasoning capabilities and potential to drive economic and social opportunities. Meta’s commitment to open innovation has seen over 180 million download requests for these models, with developers creating a range of impactful tools.

The Meta Llama Impact Innovation Awards will provide grants of up to $35,000 USD to organizations that effectively utilize Llama 2 or Llama 3 in their initiatives. The awards will focus on three key areas: education, environment, and open innovation. Applicants are required to demonstrate how their projects address specific regional issues and highlight the integral role of Llama models in their work.