At its inaugural AI developer conference on Tuesday, Meta Platforms introduced the Llama API, designed to help businesses integrate its Llama language models into applications with minimal effort. “You can now start using Llama with one line of code,” said Chief Product Officer Chris Cox during his keynote address.
APIs enable software teams to quickly embed sophisticated technologies into their products. Meta’s new offering will compete with established and emerging rivals, including OpenAI (backed by Microsoft), Google, and cost-focused alternatives like China’s DeepSeek. Although Meta has yet to announce pricing, the Llama API is currently available by invitation and will expand to a wider audience in the coming weeks to months.
In addition to the API, Meta unveiled a standalone AI assistant app and revealed plans to trial a paid subscription for its chatbot in the second quarter. Earlier this month, the company released the latest iteration of its Llama models free of charge, a strategy CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes will foster innovation, reduce reliance on competitors, and drive engagement across Meta’s platforms.
“Developers have full control over these customized models—you own them and can deploy them anywhere,” explained AI Vice President Manohar Paluri. This openness contrasts with rival services that lock customized models behind proprietary servers.
Meta engineers also shared cost-saving techniques and efficiency improvements applied to the newest Llama release. Zuckerberg welcomed the increasing competition, noting that if another model excels in a particular area, developers can combine strengths across platforms to create exactly the solution they need.
