White House Wades into Debate on 'Open' Versus 'Closed' Artificial Intelligence Systems

FILE - The OpenAI logo is displayed on a cell phone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT's Dall-E text-to-image model, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
FILE - The OpenAI logo is displayed on a cell phone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT's Dall-E text-to-image model, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
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White House Wades into Debate on 'Open' Versus 'Closed' Artificial Intelligence Systems

FILE - The OpenAI logo is displayed on a cell phone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT's Dall-E text-to-image model, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
FILE - The OpenAI logo is displayed on a cell phone with an image on a computer monitor generated by ChatGPT's Dall-E text-to-image model, Friday, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

The Biden administration is wading into a contentious debate about whether the most powerful artificial intelligence systems should be “open-source” or closed.
The White House said Wednesday it is seeking public comment on the risks and benefits of having an AI system's key components publicly available for anyone to use and modify. The inquiry is one piece of the broader executive order that President Joe Biden signed in October to manage the fast-evolving technology, The Associated Press said.
Tech companies are divided on how open they make their AI models, with some emphasizing the dangers of widely accessible AI model components and others stressing that open science is important for researchers and startups. Among the most vocal promoters of an open approach have been Facebook parent Meta Platforms and IBM.
Biden’s order described open models with the technical name of “dual-use foundation models with widely available weights” and said they needed further study. Weights are numerical values that influence how an AI model performs.
When those weights are publicly posted on the internet, “there can be substantial benefits to innovation, but also substantial security risks, such as the removal of safeguards within the model,” Biden’s order said. He gave Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo until July to talk to experts and come back with recommendations on how to manage the potential benefits and risks.
Now the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration says it is also opening a 30-day comment period to field ideas that will be included in a report to the president.
“One piece of encouraging news is that it’s clear to the experts that this is not a binary issue. There are gradients of openness,” said Alan Davidson, an assistant Commerce secretary and the NTIA's administrator. Davidson told reporters Tuesday that it's possible to find solutions that promote both innovation and safety.



Manga Productions Partners with SEGA to Publish 'Sonic Racing: Crossworlds' Game in MENA

Manga Productions signed a publishing and distribution agreement with the Japanese gaming giant SEGA to publish the iconic game Sonic in the Middle East and North Africa. (SPA)
Manga Productions signed a publishing and distribution agreement with the Japanese gaming giant SEGA to publish the iconic game Sonic in the Middle East and North Africa. (SPA)
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Manga Productions Partners with SEGA to Publish 'Sonic Racing: Crossworlds' Game in MENA

Manga Productions signed a publishing and distribution agreement with the Japanese gaming giant SEGA to publish the iconic game Sonic in the Middle East and North Africa. (SPA)
Manga Productions signed a publishing and distribution agreement with the Japanese gaming giant SEGA to publish the iconic game Sonic in the Middle East and North Africa. (SPA)

Manga Productions, a subsidiary of Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), has signed a publishing and distribution agreement with the Japanese gaming giant SEGA to publish the iconic game Sonic in the Middle East and North Africa.

CEO of Manga Productions Dr. Essam Bukhary said: “Manga Productions has built strategic partnerships that support the creative content industry in Saudi Arabia and the region. Our collaboration with SEGA brings 'Sonic Racing: Crossworlds' to MENA audiences.”

In a statement on Monday, Manga Productions said it will collaborate with SEGA to publish the game for audiences in the MENA region, providing opportunities for Saudi talents to participate in the publishing process, as well as marketing the game.

“Sonic Racing: Crossworlds” is the next-generation kart racing game developed by SEGA's arcade racing team. Its standout feature is its dynamic track design, where players warp into an unknown world on the second lap of each race, making every race unpredictable and thrilling.

With a record-breaking 23 characters available at launch, the roster will continue to expand through post-launch updates, featuring guest appearances from Hatsune Miku, Joker (Persona 5 Royal), Ichiban Kasuga (Like a Dragon), Minecraft, SpongeBob SquarePants, and more.

Players can customize their racing strategies using over 70 types of “Gadgets,” each offering unique skills and advantages. The game also supports cross-play in online multiplayer, allowing up to 12 players to compete in various exciting modes.