Programs Open Source Initiative Skip to content Get involved About Licenses Open Source Definition Open Source AI Programs Blog Get involved About Licenses Open Source Definition Open Source AI Programs Blog Open Main Menu HomePrograms We define Open Source For developers, lawyers and users To simplify software development and procurement Explore our activities Our programs License and legal Prevents any corporation or trade association from controlling and directing Open Source. We provide an anchor for open community consensus on what constitutes Open Source. As a charity, we protect the Open Source principles, enforcing the marks “Certified Open Source” and “Open Source Approved License”. Policy and standards Support the community, monitoring policy and standards setting organizations. As the importance of Open Source grows, so has our support for legislators and policy makers educating them about the Open Source ecosystem, its role in innovation and its value for an open future. Advocacy and research Convene global conversations with stakeholders, non-profits, corporations and individuals. Aware that software technologies change, OSI investigates the impacts with its wide network of Affiliate organizations providing a well-informed voice to the ongoing debates around Open Source, from artificial intelligence to security. Enable permission-less development Keeping the list of Open Source Approved License® Developers and lawyers can assume that software released licenses approved by the OSI conform to the Open Source Definition and is indeed Open Source software. Learn more Support compliance managers Maintaining a crowdsourced database of licensing metadata for every software component A global community contributes, corrects and curates licensing information found in public repositories for the common good. Learn more Educate communities about policies Studying legislation as its developed and providing public commentary Our team collaborates with the network of Affiliates to study the impact of upcoming regulations on the Open Source ecosystem. Learn more Join the Alliance to educate and inform US public policy decisions Learn more Latest from the Policy team August 13, 2026Why Openness Matters More Than Ever August 13, 2026EU AI Act and CRA: Timelines and Resources August 12, 2026The AI Era Arcs Toward Openness Spreading the word about Open Source Providing a neutral place to discuss and share best practices Were hosting meetings, and joining conversations where they happen. Deep Dive Deep Dive is a new series where OSI dives deep into the topics shaping the future of open source business, ethics and practice. The first Deep Dive focused on AI to help OSI stakeholders frame a conversation to discover what’s acceptable for AI systems to be “Open Source.” View recordings State of the source The State of the source encourages a global conversation on the current state of open source software: non-technical issues that foster development and community, the licenses that enable collaboration, the practices that promote contribution, and the issues confronting cooperation. View recordings Support Open Source As a public charity organization, OSI is supported by donations of corporations and individuals. Thanks to our sponsors that support our vision to be the leading voice on policies and principles of Open Source. 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