Sorry Elon, Grok is not open source AI. Here’s why, according to the creator of the definition

Pascale Davies
·4-min read
Sorry Elon, Grok is not open source AI. Here’s why, according to the creator of the definition

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok is not as open source as he says and neither are the many companies that claim they are, according to the steward of the definition.

Founded in 1998, the Open Source Initiative (OSI) is a not-for-profit organisation that defends the open source term. It is currently working on updating its definition to include open source AI.

Open source generally means the software’s source code is available to everyone in the public domain to use, modify, and distribute.

The OSI definition states it must also comply with 10 criteria, including having a well-publicised means of obtaining the source code at a reasonable cost or for free, not being discriminatory, and the license not restricting other software.

But AI systems are more difficult to assess against the OSI’s 10 points.

It's a very new time in history where we have a new artefact that is still the production of human ingenuity and intelligence and creativity,” he said.

“The definition of open source software that we've been using for software, it does not really apply cleanly to AI systems,” Stefano Maffulli, the OSI’s executive director told Euronews Next.

AI companies that claim they are open source, such as Musk’s latest AI venture, open source the weights – the numerical parameters that influence how an AI model performs – but not the data it is trained on nor the training process.

Maffulli said this means it cannot be open source because it is not transparent in what data is used to train the weight which can cause copyright issues and ethical questions around if the data is biased.

“These [the weights] are new things, and it's a very new time in history where we have a new artefact that is still the production of human ingenuity and intelligence and creativity,” he said.

“But at the same time is also the elaboration of semi-random calculation that is done by large computers”.

‘Truth-seeking’

Musk previously said in a post on his social media platform X that his open source AI is “by far the most transparent & truth-seeking", and sued OpenAI for abandoning its original mission to benefit humanity by partnering with Microsoft. Yet, Musk’s Grok does not disclose what data the weight was trained on.

In fact, there is little incentive for companies to do so because the moment you announce what you build your data on is the moment you open yourself up to copyright lawsuits.

We are the stewards, maintainers of the definition, but we don't really have any strong powers to enforce it.

“Until we have a little bit of clarity on that legal front, I think we're still going to be witnessing these sorts of issues,” Maffulli said.

Another reason so-called open source AI companies may not want to be fully transparent is to preserve trade secrets.

The OSI has, therefore, a difficult task on its hands when it comes to defining open source AI. The organisation began its quest two years ago after OpenAI’s ChatGPT catapulted onto the scene in November 2022.

The biggest hurdle, he said, when it comes to defining open source AI is understanding the dependency between the data in the training sets, and the model weights, Maffulli said.

How to define open source AI

The OSI started by assembling a group of initial experts from organisations such as the Mozilla Foundation and Wikipedia, but also with civil society groups, universities, and Big Tech companies such as Microsft and Meta.

The working groups then assessed three generative AI models – Meta’s Llama, Illusion AI, and Bloom as well as a non-generative AI model that uses machine learning.

The working groups voted on the minimum requirements for an AI system to be open source.

Maffulli said that the working groups “all said that at the very least, there is to be a minimum requirement of data transparency”.

The OSI is now refining this draft definition, which it expects to release to the public over the summer.

But it does not mean that after the definition is finalised the OSI will come after Musk or other self-proclaimed open source AI companies.

“We are the stewards, maintainers of the definition, but we don't really have any strong powers to enforce it,” Maffulli said.

He added that judges and courts around the world are starting to recognise that the open source definition is important, especially when it comes to mergers but also regulation.

Countries around the world are finalising how they will regulate AI and open source software has been an issue of contention.

“The open source definition serves as a barrier to identify false advertising,” said Maffulli.

“If a company says it's open source, it must carry the values that the open source definition carries. Otherwise, it's just confusing”.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest stories

  • 28 home office organization ideas for a stylish workspace

    And with WFH comes a need for more permanent home office ideas – while that laptop on the couch was comfy for a couple of months, it’s high time to foster something a little more professional and organized to help streamline your office hours while ensuring little distraction and time wasted searching for a notepad or charging point for your electronic devices. So, on our agenda, we've penciled in some things that'll make home office organizing that little bit easier. This cozy corner is perfect for installing a floating desk and shelving and, a contemporary pegboard to hook keys and the bits we might find in 'that' junk cupboard.

  • The red flags that will tell us when China's actually ready to invade Taiwan

    Signs are growing that China could be readying for a showdown over Taiwan. These are the warning signs China experts closely track.

  • Man accidentally charged $2020.90 for $20.90 steak at Common Grill by Collin’s, takes to Facebook to complain

    The post Man accidentally charged $2020.90 for $20.90 steak at Common Grill by Collin’s, takes to Facebook to complain appeared first on SETHLUI.com.

  • Russia has found the critical vulnerability in Nato’s American tanks

    The arrival of the US M1A1 Abrams tanks in Ukraine was hailed as a turning point in the war. Coming in at roughly $10 million a unit, the Nato stalwart was supposed to provide the armoured fist that would punch through the Russian lines. But tactics evolve quickly in warfare, and Russia’s use of surveillance and hunter-killer drones has led to heavy casualties for Ukraine’s tank fleets. This is alarming for NATO. If Russia has found critical vulnerabilities in our armour, our borders are beginni

  • Moh Swee Kee — Disagreement spurs sister of Rui Ji Chicken Rice to go solo

    The post Moh Swee Kee — Disagreement spurs sister of Rui Ji Chicken Rice to go solo appeared first on SETHLUI.com.

  • Japanese town overlooked by Mount Fuji erects screen to block tourists’ view

    A small Japanese town at the base of Mount Fuji is erecting a gigantic screen to block off a viral view of the peak from the “world’s prettiest convenience store” after it began attracting dangerously large crowds.

  • Secret Service says agent on Harris’ detail was removed from assignment after distressing behavior

    A Secret Service agent assigned to Vice President Kamala Harris’ detail was removed from their assignment after displaying behavior that colleagues found “distressing,” the agency said.

  • Millie Bobby Brown Pairs Tiny Bikini with Denim Hotpants on Vacation: See the Cheeky Pic!

    The 'Stranger Things' star rocked a pair of denim shorts from her fashion brand, Florence by Mills

  • Jacky Wu and his "Mr. Player" team filmed in Penang for four days

    The Taiwanese host is back in Penang again after filming in the island back in 2015 and 2019

  • Pictured: Sea lion pups outsmart orca

    A pair of sea lion pups had a lucky escape after outsmarting a hunting Orca and leaving the giant whale stranded on a beach in Argentina.

  • Maggie Cheung Ho Yee to make TVB comeback?

    The Hong Kong actress is said to star in a drama by "The Queen of News" producer

  • Kylie Jenner just revived the naked brow trend and she looks like a woodland fairy

    Kylie Jenner shares Instagram selfies of her new bleached eyebrow look for 2024. She looks so different, with the ash-blonde look.

  • Buckingham Palace Gives New Update On King Charles Following Cancer Diagnosis

    The palace previously announced the king's cancer diagnosis on February 5.

  • A 110-year-old man says he's never had back pain and still drives his car every day. Here are his 6 longevity tips.

    Vincent Dransfield, 110, lives alone and drives his car every day. He credits movement, milk, and strong relationships with giving him longevity.

  • How the 'Bengaluru dream' turned into a nightmare

    STORY: Nineteen-year-old Kkavya landed in Bengaluru with dreams of getting a degree in English literature and an exciting job at a tech firm.During a job interview, Khavya, who hails from Kashmir, was told she would have amazing job opportunities in India's Silicon Valley.She was sold the "Bengaluru dream.""What was promised to me when I came to work, they were like, 'Listen, the weather is going to be amazing, you're going to get paid, come work for us for seven hours, go home, take a beer, chill, sleep."After three years in the city, the dream is falling apart, and fast.One problem is the traffic."Do you see the horn? Did you hear it? This is my nightmare."As it was transformed into India's tech hub, the city has struggled to keep up with the massive population influx.Kkavya now spends up to five or six hours on her daily commutes.In the 1990s, Bengaluru rapidly became India's answer to Silicon Valley.It attracted millions of workers and the regional headquarters of some of the world's biggest IT companies.But unrestrained urban expansion has affected Bengaluru's character as a liveable city.With the city poised to vote in the second phase of India's national election on Friday (April 26), Kkavya said she felt frustrated to see that these issues are rarely addressed by local politicians and candidates."We are that sad now, we don't even think that this is something politicians can fix, because they never talk about it. Traffic is our problem, roads are our problem, hospital is your problem. So when I tell my boss that I can't reach on time, it's my problem, not the people who made the roads, not the people who are responsible for the traffic."And she struggles every morning to get water for her daily use. Weak southwest monsoon rains last year failed to replenish depleted groundwater causing shortages.This forced residents to ration water use and pay a much higher price.Water rates at her apartment have gone up by almost four times from about $8.40 per month to more than $27. "Water is expensive as it gets. It is something like we fight for, cause I remember, two days back, this building and the next building had a war over one tank. Because there was only one tank available, and we both wanted it, so basically they paid more and they got it."

  • I Was Taught To Protect My Virginity At All Costs. Instead, I Decided To Seduce My Town's Star Athlete.

    "It dawned on me: They were utterly terrified we were going to discover something very exciting and powerful about our supposedly naughty bodies."

  • US has seen evidence of attempts by China to influence election, says Blinken

    Secretary of state met Xi Jinping in Beijing and warned of sanctions over China’s support for Russian arms industry

  • Hero teacher uses Heimlich maneuver to save student choking on candy

    A young student started choking on a piece of candy during recess at a school in Bangkok, Thailand, in January of this year. CCTV footage captures the panic as classmates rush to her aid, prompting a teacher to quickly perform the Heimlich maneuver, ultimately saving the child.

  • Biden opens up about contemplating suicide after tragic deaths of first wife and daughter

    In an interview on Friday, the president described how he had turned to alcohol after the car crash that killed Neilia Biden and their 13-month-old daughter, Naomi, in 1972

  • Harvard Law Professor Offers Scathing Summary Of SCOTUS-Trump Arguments

    Laurence Tribe pulled no punches over what he described as a “shameful performance by the court.”