BigScience RAIL License v1.0
dated May 19, 2022
This is a license (the “License”) between you (“You”) and the participants of BigScience (“Licensor”). Whereas the Apache 2.0 license was applicable to resources used to develop the Model, the licensing conditions have been modified for the access and distribution of the Model. This has been done to further BigScience’s aims of promoting not just open-access to its artifacts, but also a responsible use of these artifacts. Therefore, this Responsible AI License (RAIL)[1] aims at having an open and permissive character while striving for responsible use of the Model.
Section I: PREAMBLE
BigScience is a collaborative open innovation project aimed at the responsible development and use of large multilingual datasets and Large Language Models (“LLM”), as well as, the documentation of best practices and tools stemming from this collaborative effort. Further, BigScience participants wish to promote collaboration and sharing of research artifacts - including the Model - for the benefit of society, pursuant to this License.
The development and use of LLMs, and broadly artificial intelligence (“AI”), does not come without concerns. The world has witnessed how just a few companies/institutions are able to develop LLMs, and moreover, how Natural Language Processing techniques might, in some instances, become a risk for the public in general. Concerns might come in many forms, from racial discrimination to the treatment of sensitive information.
BigScience believes in the intersection between open and responsible AI development, thus, this License aims to strike a balance between both in order to enable responsible open-science for large language models and future NLP techniques.
This License governs the use of the BigScience BLOOM models (and their derivatives) and is informed by both the BigScience Ethical Charter and the model cards associated with the BigScience BLOOM models. BigScience has set forth its Ethical Charter representing the values of its community. Although the BigScience community does not aim to impose its values on potential users of this Model, it is determined to take tangible steps towards protecting the community from inappropriate uses of the work being developed by BigScience.
Furthermore, the model cards for the BigScience BLOOM models will inform the user about the limitations of the Model, and thus serves as the basis of some of the use-based restrictions in this License (See Part II).
NOW THEREFORE, You and Licensor agree as follows:
1. Definitions
Section II: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Both copyright and patent grants apply to the Model, Derivatives of the Model and Complementary Material. The Model and Derivatives of the Model are subject to additional terms as described in Section III.
2. Grant of Copyright License. Subject to the terms and conditions of this License, each Contributor hereby grants to You a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to reproduce, prepare, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute the Complementary Material, the Model, and Derivatives of the Model.
3. Grant of Patent License. Subject to the terms and conditions of this License, each Contributor hereby grants to You a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable (except as stated in this paragraph) patent license to make, have made, use, offer to sell, sell, import, and otherwise transfer the Model and the Complementary Material, where such license applies only to those patent claims licensable by such Contributor that are necessarily infringed by their Contribution(s) alone or by combination of their Contribution(s) with the Model to which such Contribution(s) was submitted. If You institute patent litigation against any entity (including a cross-claim or counterclaim in a lawsuit) alleging that the Model and/or Complementary Material or a Contribution incorporated within the Model and/or Complementary Material constitutes direct or contributory patent infringement, then any patent licenses granted to You under this License for the Model and/or Work shall terminate as of the date such litigation is filed.
Section III: CONDITIONS OF USAGE, DISTRIBUTION AND REDISTRIBUTION
4. Distribution and Redistribution. You may host for Third Party remote access purposes (e.g. software-as-a-service), reproduce and distribute copies of the Model or Derivatives of the Model thereof in any medium, with or without modifications, provided that You meet the following conditions:
You may add Your own copyright statement to Your modifications and may provide additional or different license terms and conditions - respecting paragraph 4.a. - for use, reproduction, or Distribution of Your modifications, or for any such Derivatives of the Model as a whole, provided Your use, reproduction, and Distribution of the Model otherwise complies with the conditions stated in this License.
5. Use-based restrictions. The restrictions set forth in Attachment A are considered Use-based restrictions. Therefore You cannot use the Model and the Derivatives of the Model for the specified restricted uses. You may use the Model subject to this License, including only for lawful purposes and in accordance with the License. Use may include creating any content with, finetuning, updating, running, training, evaluating and/or reparametrizing the Model. You shall require all of Your users who use the Model or a Derivative of the Model to comply with the terms of this paragraph (paragraph 5).
6. The Output You Generate. Except as set forth herein, Licensor claims no rights in the Output You generate using the Model. You are accountable for the Output you generate and its subsequent uses. No use of the output can contravene any provision as stated in the License.
Section IV: OTHER PROVISIONS
7. Updates and Runtime Restrictions. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Licensor reserves the right to restrict (remotely or otherwise) usage of the Model in violation of this License, update the Model through electronic means, or modify the Output of the Model based on updates. You shall undertake reasonable efforts to use the latest version of the Model.
8. Trademarks and related. Nothing in this License permits You to make use of Licensors’ trademarks, trade names, logos or to otherwise suggest endorsement or misrepresent the relationship between the parties; and any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved by the Licensors.
9. Disclaimer of Warranty. Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, Licensor provides the Model and the Complementary Material (and each Contributor provides its Contributions) on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied, including, without limitation, any warranties or conditions of TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. You are solely responsible for determining the appropriateness of using or redistributing the Model, Derivatives of the Model, and the Complementary Material and assume any risks associated with Your exercise of permissions under this License.
10. Limitation of Liability. In no event and under no legal theory, whether in tort (including negligence), contract, or otherwise, unless required by applicable law (such as deliberate and grossly negligent acts) or agreed to in writing, shall any Contributor be liable to You for damages, including any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages of any character arising as a result of this License or out of the use or inability to use the Model and the Complementary Material (including but not limited to damages for loss of goodwill, work stoppage, computer failure or malfunction, or any and all other commercial damages or losses), even if such Contributor has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
11. Accepting Warranty or Additional Liability. While redistributing the Model, Derivatives of the Model and the Complementary Material thereof, You may choose to offer, and charge a fee for, acceptance of support, warranty, indemnity, or other liability obligations and/or rights consistent with this License. However, in accepting such obligations, You may act only on Your own behalf and on Your sole responsibility, not on behalf of any other Contributor, and only if You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold each Contributor harmless for any liability incurred by, or claims asserted against, such Contributor by reason of your accepting any such warranty or additional liability.
12. If any provision of this License is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall be unaffected thereby and remain valid as if such provision had not been set forth herein.
END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Attachment A
You agree not to use the Model or Derivatives of the Model: