Response to NTIA’s Request for Comment on Dual Use Open Foundation Models
Foundation models present tremendous benefits and risks to society as central artifacts in the AI ecosystem.
Introduction
Foundation models present tremendous benefits and risks to society as central artifacts in the AI ecosystem. In addressing dual use foundation models with widely available weights, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) should consider the marginal risk of open foundation models, defined as the extent to which they increase risk relative to closed foundation models or preexisting technologies like search engines. Open foundation models also have a number of unique benefits: They can catalyze innovation, increase transparency, enable science, and combat the concentration of power. The Commerce Department should seek to amplify these benefits and further assess the extent of marginal risks. For further details, please see our recent paper on the societal impact of open foundation models.
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