Tech giants partner to build open-source AI tools for businesses
The Linux Foundation (LF), a non-profit that supports open source initiatives and is backed by several tech organizations, has announced the 'Open Platform for Enterprise AI' (OPEA). This project aims to promote the creation of open, multi-provider generative AI systems. Intel, Cloudera, and several other organizations have committed to the development of open-source generative AI tools for enterprise use.
OPEA will unlock new possibilities in AI: LF
OPEA is part of the Linux Foundation's LF AI and Data organization. The initiative's goal is to enable the launch of robust, scalable generative AI systems that utilize top-tier open source innovation from across the ecosystem. Ibrahim Haddad, LF AI and Data's executive director, stated that "OPEA will unlock new possibilities in AI by creating a detailed, composable framework that stands at the forefront of technology stacks."
Major enterprises join OPEA for AI development
The initiative includes major enterprise players such as IBM-owned Red Hat, Hugging Face, Domino Data Lab, MariaDB, and VMware. This collaboration could enhance support for AI toolchains and compilers and diversify pipelines for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). RAG models are gaining popularity in enterprise applications of generative AI as they extend a model's knowledge base beyond its initial training data.
OPEA to standardize components, implement grading system
OPEA plans to address the challenges enterprises face with a DIY approach to RAG due to inconsistent standards across components. The organization intends to work with industry partners to standardize these components. Additionally, OPEA proposes a grading system for generative AI systems based on performance, features, trustworthiness, and readiness for enterprise-grade use.
OPEA to collaborate with open-source community
Rachel Roumeliotis, Intel's director of open source strategy, stated that OPEA will work with the open-source community to develop tests based on the proposed grading system. The organization will also offer evaluations of generative AI deployments upon request. While future projects are yet to be determined, there is a hint at the possibility of open model development under OPEA.
