Open AI and the Need for Transparency

The open source community in Europe is concerned about the lack of transparency and control over large language models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence (ai) systems developed by a few companies. While the underlying tooling for ai is often open source, the resulting models and data used to train them are often opaque and proprietary.

• The Open Source Initiative (OSI) is collaborating to define the criteria for truly open ai systems, including the ability to use, study, modify, and share the system without restrictions.
• OpenLLM Europe is a new initiative to create a multimodal, multilingual language model with a focus on European languages and data to ensure data sovereignty and diversity.
• Developers are building open source tools to train, run, and inspect ai models locally, aiming for transparency and control over the underlying data and processes.

Environmental Impact and Sustainability

As the computing resources required for ai and other technologies continue to grow, there is a growing focus on monitoring and reducing the environmental impact of applications and processes. Europe is at the forefront of this effort, with initiatives like the Green Web Foundation and tools like the Firefox Profiler.

• Co2.js from the Green Web Foundation is used to monitor the carbon impact of websites and content management systems (CMS).
• The Firefox Profiler provides detailed visualizations of the computing resources and potential carbon emissions of web pages and applications.
• Cost-cutting measures and forthcoming regulations are driving the need for sustainability and environmental responsibility in software development.

Governance, Funding, and Regulations

Europe is leading the way in establishing governance frameworks and regulations for open source software, ai, and data. Events like FOSDEM and State of Open Con (SOOCON) facilitate discussions between developers, government, and industry on these topics.

• The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) aims to hold creators of software responsible for harm caused, raising concerns about the overhead and costs for open source projects.
• The EU AI Act and Product Liability Directive are new regulations that will impact the development and use of ai systems.
• OpenUK, Europe's body for fostering open source relationships, is facilitating consultations with the UK government on ai policy and regulations.

The Growing Importance of Open Data

As open source software and ai systems increasingly rely on data, the open data movement and data governance have become critical concerns for the community. Europe is leading the way in promoting open data while addressing issues of data sovereignty, diversity, and responsible use.

• The EU has nearly 2 million open data sets available, but new regulations and the rise of ai have highlighted the need for data governance.
• Open source projects must now consider the data used to train ai models, its diversity, and compliance with regulations like the EU AI Act.
• Carbon impact profiling and reporting may become a requirement for data-driven applications and processes in the future.

Europe's Leadership in Open Source and AI

Despite challenges in funding and sustainability, Europe's open source community is well-positioned to lead the way in addressing the emerging issues around ai, environmental impact, and data governance.

• Europe has a history of conservative funding sources and seeking alternative ways to sustain open source projects.
• Key figures and initiatives focused on software and hardware sustainability are based in Europe.
• EU regulators are engaging with the open source community, fostering inclusivity, diversity, and equity in ai and open source development.

Adapting to Change

While open source faces challenges in adapting to the ai boom, Europe's community is ready to rise to the occasion. By addressing issues of transparency, environmental impact, governance, and data sovereignty, the European ecosystem is leading the way in fostering a sustainable, responsible, and inclusive future for ai and open source software.