Session: State of the “Open” AI

The AI boom, driven by unprecedented investment and access to tools, has spawned a flood of models claiming to be “open.” The October 2024 release of the Open Source AI Definition (OSAID) sought to anchor the term in clear, unambiguous standards. Yet, the concept and application of openness in AI are nascent and inconsistently understood. Drawing on a growing set of current AI models described as ‘open,’ this session explores how the term is currently applied and describes how different conceptions of open AI relate to the use, sharing, study, and modification of these models.