Meta offers free Llama AI models to federal agencies through General Services Administration deal

Meta is providing its Llama artificial intelligence models to federal agencies at no cost through a new deal with the General Services Administration. The open-source nature of these models allows government agencies to maintain full control over data processing and storage while delivering significant value to taxpayers through reduced implementation costs.

What you should know: The GSA announced Monday that Meta will offer its open-source AI models and tools to federal agencies for free, emphasizing cost savings and data control benefits.

• Federal agencies can build, deploy, and scale AI applications at lower costs since the models are publicly available.
• The open-source structure allows agencies to “retain full control over data processing and storage,” according to GSA.
• Amazon received federal authorizations earlier this year to enable Meta’s AI models in high-sensitivity government computing environments.

Competitive landscape: Meta’s free offering stands out in a crowded field of tech companies providing discounted AI services to the government.

• OpenAI and Anthropic are currently offering their models to federal agencies for $1 per agency for one year.
• Google launched “Gemini for Government” last month at $0.47 per agency for one year.
• Microsoft recently struck a deal with GSA to offer M365, Azure Cloud Services, and Dynamics 365 at discounted prices for up to 36 months, with Copilot available at no cost for 12 months.

What they’re saying: Company leaders framed the initiative as benefiting all Americans through improved government services.

• “Given the models are publicly available, technical teams can build, deploy, and scale AI applications at a lower cost, delivering significant value to American taxpayers,” GSA wrote in a press release.
• Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Meta, said Meta wants to ensure “all Americans see the benefit of AI through better, more efficient public services.”
• Josh Gruenbaum, commissioner of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, noted that Llama has “unique benefits” for agencies along with government use cases.

The big picture: This deal reflects the Trump administration’s push for agencies to adopt emerging technologies to streamline workflows, amid a broader trend of tech companies competing for government contracts.

• FedRAMP, the federal program that authorizes cloud services for government use, announced it will begin prioritizing certain AI cloud services for authorization.
• The duration of Meta’s free offering remains unclear, unlike other companies that have specified trial periods or transition plans to paid services.