Microsoft, tech companies throw weight behind spread of open-source AI

Microsoft and more than two dozen technology companies signed an open letter urging U.S. policymakers to support open-source AI, arguing it will foster innovation, transparency, and stronger defensive capabilities; the letter also warns that broadly available models carry security risks—such as enabling low-skilled criminals, facilitating deepfakes and CSAM, and allowing removal of guardrails—while calling for coordinated support for open-source maintainers and oversight measures.