January 10, 2026
Bots vs. devs: cage match
MIT Non-AI License
Open-source devs slap “No AI” sticker on their code — and the comments explode
TLDR: A new MIT-style license bans using open-source code to train AI without permission. The community erupted: some call it unenforceable, others hint at sabotage, and many ask what “AI” even is — especially with GitHub’s terms — making this a high-stakes fight over control of creators’ work.
A new twist on the famously permissive MIT license just dropped: a bold clause saying you can’t use someone’s code to train artificial intelligence without permission. Think of it like a big “No bots allowed” sign on your repo — and the internet absolutely lit up. The loudest crowd? The cynics. One commenter scoffed that a license “most won’t respect” needs backup, proposing a dramatic “poison pill” to sabotage training models link. Legal realists fired back with “licenses don’t beat fair use”, warning this might be more wishful thinking than shield. Then came the practical panic: what even counts as “AI”? Does fancy search or autocomplete trigger the ban? And if your code lives on GitHub, are you already tangled in its AI training terms? Tech soap opera, anyone. The culture war angle hit hard: one commenter painted VC-fueled startups as happy to “ignore it now, lawyer up later,” while non-profits and researchers would likely honor the line. Amid the fireworks, a poetic voice mused that your code “lives forever” inside model weights — like a digital fingerprint in the machine’s brain. Memes flew: “No AI Allowed” repo badges, jokes about turning weights into horcruxes, and commits named “Make AI Cry.” The vibe: defiant, divided, and deliciously dramatic.
Key Points
- •The license grants broad MIT-style permissions to use, copy, modify, publish, distribute, sublicense, and sell the software.
- •A new clause forbids using the software or derivatives to train, fine-tune, or validate AI/ML models without prior written permission.
- •Copyright and permission notices must be included in all copies or substantial portions of the software.
- •The software is provided “as is,” with no warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or noninfringement.
- •Authors and copyright holders disclaim liability for claims, damages, or other liabilities arising from use of the software.