HuggingChat Debuts—New Chatbot Is An Open-Source Alternative to ChatGPT



Open Source Alternative to ChatGPT

Hugging Face, an AI development company and advocate of open-source AI development, has launched an open-source alternative to ChatGPT called HuggingChat. This new platform is essentially a user interface that enables people to interact with an open-source chat assistant called Open Assistant. LAION, the non-profit organization that created the dataset used to train Stable Diffusion, organized Open Assistant. HuggingChat will soon allow users to plug in new chat models, similar to other AI chatbot clients like Poe.




Promises More Transparency and Accountability

Hugging Face CEO Clem Delangue stated in a tweet that "I believe we need open-source alternatives to ChatGPT for more transparency, inclusivity, accountability and distribution of power." This statement echoes the company's commitment to open-source development, which challenges the dominance of closed-source models in the AI industry.


Not Clear If It Can Be Used Commercially

Twitter is already buzzing with HuggingChat's platform potential. Some have speculated that Hugging Face could become the equivalent of the Android App Store, with the potential to offer a range of chatbot models from different developers. However, others have raised concerns that it is unclear whether HuggingChat can be used commercially because licensing issues need to be resolved. The HuggingChat model is based on Meta’s LLaMA, which, as VentureBeat reported last week, is not permitted to be used commercially.


Licensing Issues Need to Be Worked Out

Peter van der Putten, Director of the AI lab at Pega, tweeted that "Would be great to have a truly open version as this use is against the terms of the LLaMA license – not something that could be used for enterprise applications. Just publishing xor’ed weights is not enough to satisfy the terms." Therefore, Hugging Face needs to work out licensing issues before HuggingChat can be widely used for commercial purposes.


Currently In Version Zero

Delangue also emphasized in a tweet that HuggingChat is currently in version zero and has many limitations. However, the company is working quickly to iterate on the interface and safety mechanisms and intends to support the next rapidly improving open-source models. Furthermore, the company will soon release more privacy details on the Hugging Face website.


An Important Step In An Open AI Ecosystem

Hugging Face's commitment to open-source alternatives is an important step towards creating a more transparent, inclusive, accountable, and equitable AI ecosystem. As the conversation around open-source AI development continues to grow, Hugging Face's move towards open-source alternatives represents an essential step towards this goal.


Committed to Improving HuggingChat

Although HuggingChat still has some limitations, Hugging Face's commitment to iterating and improving the platform shows its dedication to providing users with an open-source alternative to ChatGPT that is more transparent and accountable. As open-source AI development gains momentum, Hugging Face's commitment to providing users with open-source alternatives to closed-source models will undoubtedly play a vital role in creating a more accessible and inclusive AI ecosystem.


Might Disrupt the Dominance of Closed-Source Chatbots

In conclusion, the launch of HuggingChat represents a significant development in the AI industry. It will be exciting to see how the platform evolves in the coming months, and it could potentially disrupt the dominance of closed-source models in the industry. Nonetheless, Hugging Face needs to work out licensing issues before the platform can be widely used for commercial purposes. Overall, Hugging Face's commitment to open-source alternatives is an essential step towards creating a more transparent, inclusive, accountable, and equitable AI ecosystem.



Source:  VentureBeat - Hugging Face launches open-source version of ChatGPT in bid to challenge dominance of closed-source models

Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay 

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