Ask HN: License to prohibit training of systems like Microsoft Copilot

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33458374
by bugfix-66 • 4 years ago
39 42 4 years ago

We want to modify the BSD 2-Clause Open Source License to explicitly prohibit the use of the licensed software in the training of systems like Microsoft's Copilot. We also want to prohibit use during inference.

Question: How should the third clause be worded, below?

  The No-AI 3-Clause Open Source Software License

  Copyright (C) <YEAR> <COPYRIGHT HOLDER>

  All rights reserved.

  Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
  are met:

  1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
     notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

  2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
     notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
     the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
     distribution.

  3. Use in source or binary forms for the construction or operation
     of predictive software generation systems is prohibited.

  THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
  "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
  LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
  A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
  HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
  SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
  LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
  DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
  THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
  (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
  OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
The above is a verbatim (word-for-word) copy of the BSD 2-Clause Open Source License, except for its title and the addition of a third clause:
  3. Use in source or binary forms for the construction or operation
     of predictive software generation systems is prohibited.
Thanks!

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