In a joint paper, several prominent companies, including GitHub, Hugging Face, and Creative Commons,  have called on European policymakers to expand support for open-source software in the EU AI Act.

The paper outlines specific recommendations for the European Parliament, such as providing clearer definitions of AI components, distinguishing non-commercial researchers from AI users, permitting limited real-world testing for AI projects, and establishing proportional requirements for different foundation models. The alliance is advocating for increased support in open-source development for various AI technologies, such as natural language processing and computer vision. They emphasize that open-source software plays a crucial role in AI advancement and urge the EU to avoid stifling innovation with the AI Act.

The companies believe that the AI Act has the potential to set a global standard for regulating AI, by striking a balance between risk mitigation and fostering innovation. Open-source advocates assert that free access to AI models and transparency in training methods are crucial for the advancement of AI technology.