Open-washing and the illusion of AI openness [Video]

Cloud AI providers brag that their generative AI and large language models are open, and enterprises are falling for it.

Credit: Helder Almeida / Shutterstock

A peculiar trend has taken hold within the AI gold rush: Major players in the space—from OpenAI to Google and Microsoft—have started to heavily market their AI models as “open.” These companies are using terms like “open AI” to align with notions of transparency, collaboration, and shared progress associated with open source software. However, a closer look reveals that this embrace of “openness” is largely performative—a concept now termed “open-washing.”

Open-washing in AI refers to companies overstating their commitment to openness while keeping critical components proprietary. This approach isn’t new. We’ve seen cloud-washing, AI-washing, and now open-washing, all called out here. Marketing firms want the concept of being “open” to put them in a virtuous category of companies that save baby seals from oil spills. I don’t knock them, but let’s not …