The ongoing exponential rise of AI systems is accompanied by a concerning trend — the popularization of the term “open” in relation to AI technologies. This practice has now spilled over to creation of the licensing schemes for AI technologies which prioritize “ethical” restrictions on how software should be further used and distributed. This has led to the development of licensing models for AI systems that impose additional behavioral restrictions based on “ethical” considerations. The dissonance between the “open source” claims of AI systems and the restrictions imposed by licenses denudes the definitions of Free Software and Open Source Software.
This presentation aims to shed light on this critical issue, as the proliferation of these licenses affects the entire Free Software ecosystem by making integration of Free Software, license compatibility and licensing compliance more complex. This phenomenon has a profound effect on people’s digital autonomy as the behavioral restrictions on AI licensing undermine control, transparency and oversight over technology, as guaranteed by the principles of Free Software.