Earlier this year, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) requested comment on a number of questions related to what it is calling “open foundational models.” This represents the US Government starting to think about what “open” means in the context of AI and machine learning.

In response to a number of copyright lawsuits about AI training datasets, we are starting to see efforts to build ‘non-infringing’ collections of media for training AI. While I continue to believe that most AI training is covered by fair use in the US and therefore inherently ‘non-infringing’, I think these efforts to build ‘safe’ or ‘clean’ or whatever other word one might use data sets are quite interesting. One reason they are interesting is that they can help illustrate why trying to build such a data set at scale is such a challenge.

The brewing dispute over a (purportedly - more on that below) AI-generated George Carlin standup special is starting to feel like another step in the long tradition of rightsholders claiming that normal activity needs their permission when done with computers.

This post originally appeared on the Engelberg Center blog.

This post originally appeared on the OSHWA blog .