> Do you want a few large corporations to have to have absolute and total control of all AI?
Is this not what we currently have? Large corporations own the data centers, and there will never be a collectively-owned data center unless our dominant mode of production changes.
I know there are open models, but how do you serve them to users who don't have the compute?
Users can obtain the compute, it's not even that substantial for current LLMs, esp if you don't mind running them somewhat slowly.
Sure, not every user can obtain the compute. But the fact that a great many people can, and that the people that it makes the most difference for can, creates a tremendous playing field leveling.
Imagine that welding could only be performed by WeldCo and what a negative effect that would have. Fortunately anyone can weld, most people won't. But if you found yourself dead in the water and weldco was trying to extort you, you'd just pick up the equipment teach yourself, and commence with the welding. (or go hire someone to do so). Now realize that LLMs may well turn out to be more general than even welding is. So the freedom to access these tools is all the more critical, even if many will find they don't need to. The widespread access is why you may not need to.
Is this not what we currently have? Large corporations own the data centers, and there will never be a collectively-owned data center unless our dominant mode of production changes.
I know there are open models, but how do you serve them to users who don't have the compute?