<div id="readability-page-1">American tech giant Meta Platforms is reportedly using an open-source artificial intelligence model developed by Alibaba Group Holding to reinvigorate its faltering AI efforts in another likely win for Chinese AI.\nAccording to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday, Facebook owner Meta was using Alibaba’s Qwen model, along with other open-source models from Google and OpenAI, as part of the training process for a new model code-named Avocado, which was expected to be released in the spring.\nThe report did not specify which Alibaba Qwen model was being used.\nBloomberg reported that Meta’s new model would mark a departure from its previous strategy of open-sourcing its models, meaning that users would only be able to access the model through an official application programming interface, or API. Meta has not officially announced a change of AI strategy from its open-source Llama models to a closed-source, revenue-generating model.\nQwen is the world’s most popular series of open-source large language models, with many US businesses using the model to develop their own applications. Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based online accommodation booking giant Airbnb, said the company “relies heavily” on Alibaba’s Qwen models to power its AI-driven customer-service agent. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.\nAlibaba’s shares fell 1.7 per cent in Hong Kong on Thursday.\nMeta’s AI efforts have been the subject of much scrutiny after the tech giant went on a spending spree over the summer to poach talent from rival firms, including reports of signing bonuses reaching US$100 million.\nThe new Avocado model was being developed by Meta’s new AI research unit TBD Lab, Bloomberg’s report said. The unit is made up of the expensively acquired researchers and is led by Meta’s new chief AI officer Alexandr Wang, who joined after his firm was acquired by Meta for US$14.3 billion.\n\nNotably, the Bloomberg report said that TBD Lab was “distilling” Qwen and the other open-source models to train its new model. The controversial practice refers to AI developers using the output of other models to quickly train and improve their own models.\nWhile not technically illegal, the practice is frowned upon in the AI industry. OpenAI earlier this year admonished Chinese start-up DeepSeek for distilling the outputs of its models following the release of its R1 model in January.\nMeta’s Llama models led the global open-source landscape following their release in early 2023. Before DeepSeek and Alibaba’s Qwen models rose in prominence this year, Llama models were the default choice for developers globally to build customised applications, including in China.\nHowever, the lacklustre release in April of Llama 4 precipitated a fundamental rethink in Meta’s AI strategy, including what is reportedly now a shift towards closed models.\nSu Lian Jye, chief analyst at Omdia, said that news indicated that the gap between China and the US in AI had further narrowed, while warning observers not to dismiss Meta on the back of this report.\n“Alibaba is expected to be a significant force in generative AI,” he said. “The company’s open-source community is going from strength to strength and is poised to challenge the top three Western hyperscalers.”\n</div>

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<p>Meta Platforms is reportedly using Alibaba's Qwen AI model for its new 'Avocado' model, marking a shift from open-source to closed-source strategy. This move highlights China's growing influence in AI, with Alibaba's Qwen models gaining popularity. Meta's new AI unit, TBD Lab, led by Alexandr Wang, is developing the model using controversial distillation practices. The news suggests a narrowing AI gap between China and the US, with Alibaba poised to challenge Western hyperscalers.</p>

- Meta Platforms is reportedly utilizing Alibaba's open-source AI model, Qwen, to enhance its AI initiatives, alongside models from Google and OpenAI.  
- The new model, code-named Avocado, is being developed by Meta's TBD Lab and signifies a shift from open-sourcing to a closed-source approach, limiting access to an official API.  
- This development highlights the growing influence of Chinese AI in the global market, as Meta's previous Llama models face competition from Alibaba's offerings.

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AI race: Meta reported to use Alibaba’s Qwen for ‘Avocado’ model in likely win for China