Scientific research and development relies on the sharing of ideas and
artifacts. With the growing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) for many
different applications, the sharing of code, data, and models is important to
ensure the ability to replicate methods and the democratization of scientific
knowledge. Many high-profile journals and conferences expect code to be
submitted and released with papers. Furthermore, developers often want to
release code and models to encourage development of technology that leverages
their frameworks and services. However, AI algorithms are becoming increasingly
powerful and generalized. Ultimately, the context in which an algorithm is
applied can be far removed from that which the developers had intended. A
number of organizations have expressed concerns about inappropriate or
irresponsible use of AI and have proposed AI ethical guidelines and responsible
AI initiatives. While such guidelines are useful and help shape policy, they
are not easily enforceable. Governments have taken note of the risks associated
with certain types of AI applications and have passed legislation. While these
are enforceable, they require prolonged scientific and political deliberation.
In this paper we advocate the use of licensing to enable legally enforceable
behavioral use conditions on software and data. We argue that licenses serve as
a useful tool for enforcement in situations where it is difficult or
time-consuming to legislate AI usage. Furthermore, by using such licenses, AI
developers provide a signal to the AI community, as well as governmental
bodies, that they are taking responsibility for their technologies and are
encouraging responsible use by downstream users