Meta said that it would make its A.I. models, called Llama, available to federal agencies. It was working with defence contractors such as Lockheed Martin and Booz Allen and defence-focused tech companies such as Palantir and Anduril.

The Llama models are “open source,” which means other developers, companies, and governments can freely copy and distribute the technology.

Meta’s move is an exception to its “acceptable use policy,” which forbade using the company’s A.I. software for “military, warfare, nuclear industries,” among other purposes.

Writing in his bog, Meta’s president of global affairs Nick Clegg said the company backed “responsible and ethical uses” of the technology that supported the United States and “democratic values” in a global race for A.I. supremacy.

“Meta wants to play its part to support America's safety, security and economic prosperity — and of its closest allies too,” Clegg wrote.

He added that “widespread adoption of American open source A.I. models serve economic and security interests.”

A Meta spokesman said the company would share its technology with members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, including Canada, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, in addition to the United States.