Open Source AI
AI systems whose code and weights are publicly available
What is Open Source AI?
AI models and tools whose source code, model weights, or training methodologies are publicly available for anyone to inspect, modify, and deploy. Open source AI is to proprietary AI what open source software was to proprietary software: an engine of innovation, transparency, and independence. The ecosystem moves faster when everyone can build on shared foundations rather than renting access to black boxes.
How it works
Key takeaways
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Open source = code + data + weights
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Open weights = model only, no training code
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Proprietary = API access only
Real-world example
With truly open-source AI like OLMo, you get the training code, data recipes, and model weights. You can audit, reproduce, and modify everything. Open weights like Llama give you the model but not the training pipeline.
