The Open Source AI Definition 0.0.2 - HackMD

The Open Source AI DefinitionNote: This document is made of three parts: A preamble, stating the intentions of this document (a sort of manifesto). The Definition itself, addressing the issues of Openness for all the components of AI/ML systems. Third element, a checklist to evaluate licenses.We follow the definition of AI adopted by UNESCO https://legalinstruments.oecd.org/en/instruments/OECD-LEGAL-0449An AI system is a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments. AI systems are designed to operate with varying levels of autonomy.PreambleWhy we need Open Source Artificial Intelligence (AI)The decades of Open Source experience have demonstrated that massive benefits accrue to everyone when you remove the barriers to learning, using, sharing and improving software systems. These benefits are the result of using licenses that follow the Open Source Definition. The benefits can be distilled to autonomy, transparency, and collaborative improvement.Everyone needs these benefits in AI. We essential freedoms to enable users to build and deploy AI systems that are fair, reliable, transparent, trustworthy, secure and safe.How we can get the benefits of Open Source AIA precondition for a system to be Open Source software is that developers must have unrestricted access to the “preferred form to make modifications to the work”.For AI systems, the preferred form to make modifications to the work depends on the specific kind of AI.[Provide an example, based on machine learning?]Out of scope issuesThe Open Source AI Definition doesn’t say how to develop and deploy an AI system that is ethical, trustworthy or responsible, although it doesn’t prevent it. What makes an AI system ethical, responsible or trustworthy is a separate discussion.What is Open Source AITo be Open Source, an AI system needs to make its components available under licenses that individually grant the freedoms to:study, use, modify, share and verify.Study how the AI system has been built, inspect its components, understand and explain how it comes to its recommendations, predictions or decisionsUse the system for any purpose without any limitations and without having to ask for permissionModify the system to change its recommendations, predictions or decisions to adapt to your needsShare the system as modified by you, for any purpose without any limitationsVerify that the system you’ve received gives the recommendations, predictions or decisions it’s supposed to giveBeing Open Source doesn’t mean an AI system will also be safe, secure, trustworthy, explainable and fair but it won’t be an impediment either.[Provide an example, based on machine learning?]