“Wait, not like that”: Free and open access in the age of generative AI
March 19, 2025
The visions of the open access movement have inspired countless people to contribute their work to the commons: a world where “every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge” (Wikimedia), and where “education, culture, and science are equitably shared as a means to benefit humanity” (Creative Commonsa).
Source: “Wait, not like that”: Free and open access in the age of generative AI
The Tragedy of the Commons is the term given to the idea that
if many people enjoy unfettered access to a finite, valuable resource, such as a pasture, they will tend to overuse it and may end up destroying its value altogether
It is a self serving neoliberal concept that is rarely subject to even the most basic critical enquiry.
Here Molly White observes the genuine tragedy of the commons with large technology companies is while relying heavily on the commons of collective human creation (be the the likes of Wikipedia, or open source software, or more broadly) they degrade the sources, diminish their capacity for being sustainable.
Everyone should read this piece.
