The internet was built on open source software — it’s more important today than ever

As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, there remains a feeling that the ground beneath us is not yet stable. Ongoing effects such as the inflation crisis and longstanding concerns such as climate change continue to affect our everyday lives.

As one response, the U.S. government has committed billions of dollars toward infrastructure through recent bills such as the CHIPS and Science; Inflation Reduction; and Build Back Better acts. Our infrastructure is increasingly built upon software, particularly open source, which describes software that can be viewed, shared and modified openly. Physical devices such as TVs and cars are increasingly software platforms. Manufacturing processes for semiconductors depend on software.

As AI becomes more prevalent, this software underpinning will become even more important.

Recent estimates suggest that 96 percent of all software relies upon open source software. Every time we use our mobile devices, search the web, use ChatGPT or even turn on the lights, we benefit from open source. A triad of universities, government and industry developed the internet and web with openness as a design principle. Early users of the web will recall how it was possible to view, use and modify web pages similar to open source software. We stand on the cusp of building digital infrastructure that will permeate every aspect of our lives, all of which will rely on open source. We need this triple helix with the notable new addition of philanthropy to launch a similar infrastructure-building effort with open source software as a key component.

While AI has been a discipline for decades (with Carnegie Mellon being one of the earliest leaders in the field), ChatGPT has been the seminal moment that makes clear its potential to affect all aspects of our lives. Much like the Mosaic browser provided an accessible window into the web, ChatGPT has done so with AI. Neither evolved without effort from many players, but one could argue that AI has evolved without the same intentionality and strategy that defined the Web. So the public now realizes that AI has existed for some time, but does not yet fully understand its potential impact, which understandably has led to uncertainty and even anxiety.

Luckily, in addition to its important role in the development of AI, open source software offers a pathway for addressing legitimate concerns, and also building digital infrastructure in a manner that fosters transparency, trust, inclusivity, participation and security.

The designers of the internet and web deliberately deferred security considerations in favor of openness that fostered greater and faster adoption. With the widespread existing adoption of open source and growing use of AI, we must consider security explicitly and urgently. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly has urged the software industry to embrace “secure by design” and “secure by default” and noted the importance of open source software for this purpose and as a key component of critical infrastructure.

At a recent talk at Carnegie Mellon, Easterly also urged the university sector to embrace its role with building digital infrastructure, particularly as it relates to open source software. In a fundamental sense, open source software was born within universities but, over the last decade, the private sector has arguably built more capacity, and the government sector is easily one of the largest — if not the largest — consumer and producer of open source software. Even with security incidents such as Log4j, feedback during congressional hearings and from Department of Defense memorandum affirm the value and importance of open source software. Recent positive developments from the federal government that highlight this issue of security of open source software include the National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan and pending proposals such as the Securing Open Source Software Act and the Critical Technology Security Centers Act of 2023.

One of the most important aspects of the triad of universities, government and industry was a sense of balance between them that reflected the diversity of missions, stakeholders, roles, etc. A similar balance is critical for the development of digital infrastructure, to ensure that everyone benefits from ensuing research, education, translation, goods and services. Appropriate legislation and funding from all levels of government, philanthropy and industry will be instrumental to achieve this balance.

Open source software offers a more seamless and transparent method for working across the various sectors and even across national borders, but we need an intentional, strategic approach that celebrates and embraces the diverse contributions in order to address our challenges and open up new opportunities.

Sayeed Choudhury is associate dean for digital infrastructure and director of the Open Source Programs Office at Carnegie Mellon University.

Keith Webster is the Helen and Henry Posner, Jr. Dean of Libraries and director of Emerging & Integrative Media Initiatives at Carnegie Mellon University. He also serves as interim director of the Entertainment Technology Center.