Luuk van Drunen - How truly open is “open-source” AI in reality?

Abstract

AI chatbots such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek are now well-known among many people, but what does it really mean when an AI solution is labeled as ‘open’ or ‘open-source’? DeepSeek claims to be open, but can that claim even be verified? In this lecture, we delve deeper into the meaning of open (source) AI. We start by peeking under the hood of Large Language Models (LLMs) and discovering how these systems work. Subsequently, we look at the different components of these LLMs and see how truly open they are and how open they could potentially be. Additionally, we take a look at which actual open AI solutions exist and how they perform compared to other AI solutions.

Biography

Luuk has a great passion for technology in all its forms. In high school, he was already given the nickname “digigod,” so studying Artificial Intelligence at Utrecht University was a logical choice. As a second-year student, he is exploring the application possibilities of open AI systems and has the ambition to eventually make the leap into the (by then) AI-influenced political world.
In addition to his interest in AI and student life, Luuk is a passionate gamer. He dreams of being able to game on an open platform in the future and contribute to its development.

Spreker