{"slug": "considering-the-openmdw-license", "title": "[$] Considering the OpenMDW license", "summary": "The Linux Foundation's Mike Dolan has submitted the OpenMDW (Open Model, Data, and Weights) license to the Open Source Initiative (OSI) for approval, aiming to clarify licensing for the distribution of large language models and related materials. The license follows the OSI's controversial Open AI Definition and has already sparked debate over what constitutes freedom for AI models.", "body_md": "The open-source world has been struggling for a few years now to understand\nhow to approach large language models (LLMs) and the licensing applied to\nthem. What constitutes \"freedom\" with respect to a black box filled with\nnumerical weights? The process taken by the Open Source Initiative (OSI)\nin the [development](https://lwn.net/Articles/995159/) of its [Open AI\nDefinition](https://opensource.org/ai/open-source-ai-definition) was controversial at best, as was its output. Now, the\nLinux Foundation's Mike Dolan has [brought\na new license to the OSI](https://lwn.net/ml/all/CAFV=PSG=bsLTemzjyCKYYz9j=rX9dcNo6=2T6htbxTRgervMrA@mail.gmail.com) for approval. It is called the OpenMDW (\"Open\nModel, Data, and Weights\"), and it aims to clarify licensing for the\ndistribution of LLMs and related materials, but consensus is proving hard\nto find for this license as well.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/considering-the-openmdw-license", "canonical_source": "https://lwn.net/Articles/1089251/", "published_at": "2026-08-21 13:42:29+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-21 14:14:08.833426+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-policy", "ai-ethics", "large-language-models"], "entities": ["Linux Foundation", "Mike Dolan", "Open Source Initiative", "OpenMDW", "Open AI Definition"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/considering-the-openmdw-license", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/considering-the-openmdw-license.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/considering-the-openmdw-license.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/considering-the-openmdw-license.jsonld"}}