UAE's TII Launches Falcon 2 Large Language Model, Outperforming Meta's Llama 3

The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a pivotal entity in global scientific research and the applied research arm of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), has recently announced the launch of Falcon 2, a new iteration of its large language model (LLM). This release includes two versions: Falcon 2 11B and Falcon 2 11B VLM, with the latter featuring vision-to-language model capabilities, a first of its kind in TII's portfolio and a unique offering in the current top-tier market. These models are designed to convert visual inputs into textual outputs, enhancing AI's ability to understand and interpret images.

Falcon 2 11B, trained on 5.5 trillion tokens with 11 billion parameters, has demonstrated superior performance compared to other leading AI models, including Meta’s Llama 3. It has been tested and verified by Hugging Face, showcasing its competitive edge in the AI landscape. Notably, both Falcon 2 models are open-source, providing developers worldwide with free access to state-of-the-art technology for various applications.

The introduction of these models marks a significant step forward in AI innovation, offering advanced machine learning capabilities such as a "Mixture of Experts" to enhance performance further. TII's commitment to the open-source movement and the development of versatile, efficient AI models underscores its position as a leader in the field of generative AI.

Falcon 2's multilingual capabilities extend its utility across numerous languages including English, French, Spanish, German, and Portuguese. This versatility makes it an invaluable tool across various industries such as healthcare, finance, e-commerce, education, and legal sectors. Its ability to run on just one graphics processing unit (GPU) also ensures scalability and ease of integration into existing infrastructures.

Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary-General of ATRC and advisor to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, emphasized the significance of Falcon 2 11B as a milestone in AI development. He highlighted the institute's dedication to providing developers and entities with access to top-tier AI models that respect privacy concerns.

Dr. Hakim Hacid, Executive Director and Acting Chief Researcher at TII’s AI Cross-Centre Unit, pointed out the evolving nature of AI and the benefits of smaller, more efficient models. He noted that such advancements not only meet sustainability criteria but also offer enhanced flexibility for integration into edge AI infrastructure. The vision-to-language capabilities introduced with Falcon 2 open new avenues for accessibility in AI technology.

The adoption of the "Mixture of Experts" machine learning capability is set to bring about more intelligent and efficient AI systems by combining smaller networks with distinct specializations. This innovative approach aims at improving accuracy and accelerating decision-making processes in AI applications.

Falcon 2 11B is licensed under TII Falcon License 2.0, which is based on the permissive Apache 2.0 software license. This licensing includes an acceptable use policy that promotes responsible AI use, ensuring that advancements in technology are aligned with ethical standards and societal values.

With inputs from WAM