Institutions linked to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China have reportedly adapted Meta’s AI technology to develop ChatBIT, a tool designed for military applications. According to Reuters, the system, based on Llama 13B, collects and analyzes intelligence data to support operational decision-making.

A Militarized AI Model

ChatBIT is said to be fine-tuned specifically for military purposes, reportedly outperforming comparable models. However, details about the evaluation methods remain undisclosed.

“We have evidence that Chinese military experts are systematically researching and adapting the capabilities of open LLMs, such as those developed by Meta, for military applications,” said Sunny Chung from the Jamestown Foundation.

Meta’s Stance and Open Access Challenges

Meta recently released Llama 3.1, including the advanced 405B model, under an open-source license. While the company prohibits the military use of its technologies, the open-source nature of these tools makes enforcement difficult.

“ChatBIT can be used not only for intelligence gathering but also for strategic planning and decision-making,” stated a document reviewed by journalists.

Broader Context

In June, China announced the creation of an AI commander for military simulations, highlighting the country’s increasing focus on integrating advanced AI into defense systems.