Artificial intelligence is reshaping economic systems at a pace we have rarely seen in modern technological history. Every sector—from finance to healthcare to manufacturing—is scrambling to understand how to harness AI safely, efficiently, and competitively. Yet amid the excitement, a crucial part of the story has been missing. Specifically, understanding the role that open models play in the AI economy, and how much value is being left on the table when organizations overlook open alternatives, are two topics requiring a closer look.

In our new working paper, “The Latent Role of Open Models in the AI Economy,” Daniel Yue (Georgia Tech) and I probe these questions using one of the most comprehensive datasets assembled to date on AI model usage, prices, and performance. The findings surprised even us—and they carry major implications for the Linux Foundation community and the global open source ecosystem to the tune of billions of dollars of possible savings on AI expenditure.

...read more at linuxfoundation.org