What exactly is Open Source AI? (Interview)

The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source

This week we’re joined by Stefano Maffulli, the Executive Director of the Open Source Initiative (OSI). They are responsible for representing the idea and the definition of open source globally. Stefano shares the challenges they face as a US-based non-profit with a global impact. We discuss the work Stefano and the OSI are doing to define Open Source AI, and why we need an accepted and shared definition. Of course we also talk about the potential impact if a poorly defined Open Source AI emerges from all their efforts.

Note: Stefano was under the weather for this conversation, but powered through because of how important this topic is.

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Featuring:

• Stefano Maffulli – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, X
• Adam Stacoviak – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X
• Jerod Santo – GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X

Show Notes:

• Open Source Initiative (OSI)
• Discuss the “Open Source AI Definition”
• A new draft of the Open Source AI Definition: v.0.0.5 is available for comments
• The Open Source AI Definition

Something missing or broken? PRs welcome!

Chương

1. This week on The Changelog (00:00:00)

2. Sponsor: Vercel (00:01:30)

https://vercel.com/changelogpod

3. Start the show! (00:04:15)

4. The value of open source (00:05:36)

5. The Open Source Initiative (00:08:13)

6. Who formed the OSI? (00:10:45)

7. Defending Open Source licenses (00:14:19)

8. Operating internationally (00:15:04)

9. The responsibility of protecting Open Source (00:17:36)

10. Sponsor: Synadia (00:23:51)

https://www.synadia.com/changelog

11. Now we have Open Source AI (00:29:01)

12. How to you take action? (calling Zuck) (00:33:07)

13. The 4 principles of Open Source AI (00:35:40)

14. The preferred form of modification (00:37:54)

15. The components of an AI system (00:42:25)

16. Jerod shares a hypothetical example (00:45:58)

17. Sponsor: CIQ / Rocky Linux (00:51:14)

https://ciq.com/?utm_source=changelog&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=changelog

18. Open Source AI done right? (00:55:04)

19. What's the benefit of being Open Source AI? (00:58:03)

20. Is AI being commoditized? (01:00:31)

21. Who's participating in this definition? (01:03:40)

22. But what if there's no benefit? (01:07:23)

23. This is a lot of work (01:10:00)

24. What's at stake? (01:11:35)

25. You should get involved (01:13:59)

26. What's next? (01:14:44)