A word with too much work to do
"Open" is now asked to describe almost everything that is more available than a closed API.
A model may be open because its weights can be downloaded. A dataset may be open because it is publicly accessible. A benchmark may be open because the evaluation code is on GitHub. A company may be open because researchers can apply for access. A hosted service may be open because anyone can sign up.
These are different conditions. They create different capabilities and different dependencies.
If I can download a model but cannot inspect how it was trained, I have a useful artifact — but not necessarily a reproducible system. If I can inspect the source but cannot use it commercially, I have visibility — but not the ordinary freedom associated with open source. If I can run an API but cannot obtain the model, I have access to a service — but not control over the technology.
The word "open" does not answer these questions. It only invites them.
Adapted from the draft opening chapter of But Is It Open? — forthcoming from Timothy O'Brien.