Explained: What is Open Source Software and its relation to the AI race?

Open Source Software (OSS) is silently creating waves in the AI industry, like it has been doing for quite some time.

Hyderabad: Every major tech company in the world is concentrating on developing its own version of artificial intelligence-powered interactive chatbot like the ChatGPT from OpenAI. While this has resulted in a full-blown AI war with companies actively promoting their product, Open Source Software (OSS) is silently creating waves in the AI industry, like it has been doing for quite some time.

What is Open Source Software?

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OSS is software that is available online and is free to access, use, and even change without any restrictions. For example, a person has worked on a new code and uploaded it online. Now, anybody with the proper tools can access that code and add to it and change it to make it better.

Now, we all know how competitive big tech companies are with their codes and how safely they guard that. This is because it is the backbone of their company and income.

That said, historically some of the most sophisticated and advanced technologies have been open sourced and that has been a way to develop at a rapid phase. While this is a great collaborative way to develop tech, little has been done to regulate the OSS models, making it equally dangerous if fallen into the wrong hands.

Interestingly, Twitter CEO Elon Musk has recently said that he will make the micro-blogging website’s algorithm open source.

OSS and AI

Although many tech giants are keeping their cards closer in regard to their AI algorithms, many tech experts say that the progress being made in the OSS domain is more rapid. Open-source AI could include various technologies that are helpful for product teams, independent app developers, and enterprises.

“The open-source software movement has been an unprecedented driver of global innovation and productivity growth,” wrote Reuters in their piece on OSS and trade wars.

While OSS has its own set of challenges like licensing, authenticity, and the complications of the data set that is being worked on and security issues; it also makes the cutting-edge technology free and accessible to all.

In regards to AI, it is common knowledge that some OSS AI software has been remarkable. Acumos AI and H20.AI are some of the best examples.