# Meta Opens Llama AI Models to Developers with New API

## Meta Opens Llama AI Models to Developers with New API

Meta took a significant step in solidifying its position in the open model AI landscape, unveiling an API for its Llama series of AI models at the inaugural LlamaCon AI developer conference on Tuesday. The Llama API, currently in limited preview, offers developers a new avenue to explore and experiment with products powered by the diverse Llama models.

By pairing the Llama API with Meta’s SDKs, developers can now build Llama-driven services, tools, and applications with greater ease. While specific pricing details for the API haven’t been disclosed to TechCrunch yet, the launch signals Meta’s commitment to fostering a thriving ecosystem around its AI models.

The move comes as competition intensifies in the open model space. Despite Llama models boasting over a billion downloads, according to Meta, rivals like DeepSeek and Alibaba’s Qwen pose a challenge to Meta’s ambition of creating a widespread and dominant Llama ecosystem.

The Llama API includes tools that facilitate the fine-tuning and performance evaluation of Llama models, starting with Llama 3.3 8B. Users can generate training data, fine-tune the models, and then leverage Meta’s evaluation suite within the API to assess the quality of their custom-built models.

Meta has emphasized that customer data used within the Llama API will not be used to train the company’s own models, ensuring a degree of privacy and control for developers. Furthermore, models built using the Llama API can be transferred to other hosting platforms.

For developers working specifically with the recently released Llama 4 models, the Llama API provides model-serving options through partnerships with Cerebras and Groq. These “early experimental” options are “available by request,” enabling developers to quickly prototype their AI applications.

“By simply selecting the Cerebras or Groq model names in the API, developers can enjoy a streamlined experience with all usage tracked in one location,” Meta stated in a blog post. The company also expressed its intention to expand partnerships with additional providers to offer even more options for building on top of Llama.

Meta plans to gradually expand access to the Llama API over the “coming weeks and months,” opening up a range of possibilities for developers looking to leverage the power of its open-source AI models. This initiative will likely further accelerate innovation and application development within the AI space.