Members Newsletter – April 2025
We’re thrilled to share that the Open Source Initiative (OSI) is the first organization to officially endorse the United Nations Open Source Principles! These eight principles lay out a strong foundation for open, secure, and inclusive digital collaboration across the globe—and we’re in good company. Seventeen organizations (and counting), including The Linux Foundation, Eclipse Foundation, and The Document Foundation, have signed on to help move this vision forward. You can add your organization’s endorsement here.
Even better? You can be part of it in person. UN Open Source Week 2025 is happening June 16–20 in New York, and it promises to be a hands-on, high-energy gathering of developers, policymakers, and community leaders working on open source for global good. Sign up here to get more information.
Closer to home, we’ve wrapped up our 2025 board renewal process and are excited to welcome three directors who bring serious credentials and passion for the mission. Ruth Suehle brings deep experience in OSPO leadership and community building, McCoy Smith adds decades of Open Source legal insight, and Carlo Piana returns with a long track record of digital rights advocacy. They’ll officially join the board’s new term at our April meeting.
Thanks for being part of this journey—big things ahead!
Stefano Maffulli
Executive Director, OSI
I hold weekly office hours on Fridays with OSI members: book time if you want to chat about OSI’s activities, if you want to volunteer or have suggestions.
News from the OSI
The OSI endorses the United Nations Open Source Principles
The United Nations Open Source United community and the Open Source Initiative (OSI) today announced that the OSI has become the first organization to officially endorse the UN Open Source Principles.
Other highlights
Ensuring Open Source AI thrives under the EU’s new AI rules
Overcoming barriers to Open Source procurement in the European Union
OSI and Apereo Foundation Respond to White House on AI Action Plan
Announcing the new directors of OSI board
Your support, our focus: The OSI’s 2025 roadmap to a stronger Open Source ecosystem
OSI in the news
‘Open’ model licenses often carry concerning restrictions
Article from TechCrunch
The current landscape of AI model licensing is riddled with confusion, restrictive terms, and misleading claims of openness. Instead of redefining ‘open’ to suit corporate interests, the AI industry should align with established open source principles to create a truly open ecosystem.
Other highlights
‘Open source’ AI isn’t truly open — here’s how researchers can reclaim the term (Nature)
The OSI First to Endorse United Nations Open Source Principles (United Nations)
The Future of Open Source AI: The OSI’s Open Source AI Definition (OSAID) (Joomla Community Magazine)
Read all press mentions from this past month
Video and podcast
Open Source and Public Policy: A Conversation with Deb Bryant (Open at Intel)
¿Es DeepSeek la IA abierta definitiva? (Ana Jiménez Santamaría)
Meanings of open AI interview (Open Education AI)
Certified Open Source Developer for Enterprise
The TODO Group, the Open Source Initiative and Linux Foundation Education have launched the Certified Open Source Developer for Enterprise (CODE) certification. Use redemption code: CODE.Launch25
Other news
News from OSI affiliates
Eclipse Foundation: Cyber Resilience Spec Project, Deliverables Plan and Feedback for the European Commission
Mozilla Foundation: Open-source AI is hard. Blueprints can help!
Apache Software Foundation: ASF Announces New Fundraising Program to Support Mission Critical Initiatives for Open Source Projects
Joomla: Maria Skampoura elected president of Open Source Matters
OASIS Open: OASIS to Advance Global Adoption of Data & Trust Alliance’s Data Provenance Standards
Open Infrastructure Foundation: OpenInfra Announces Intent to Join the Linux Foundation to Amplify the Global Impact of Open Source
Linux Foundation: ‘Open source is Europe’s best opportunity to catch up’
Events
Upcoming events
The Free Software Legal and Licensing Workshop (April 9-11 – Essen)
Open Expo Europe (May 7-8 – Madrid)
PyCon US (May 14-22 – Pittsburgh)
Open Source Founders Summit (May 19-20 – Paris / OSI is a sponsor)
Open Source Summit NA (June 23-25 – Denver)
CFPs
UN Open Source Week (July 16-20 – NYC)
OpenForum Academy (OFA) Symposium 2025 (November 18-19 – Rio de Janeiro)
Thanks to our sponsors
New sponsors and renewals
Microsoft
See all sponsors
Interested in sponsoring, or partnering with, the OSI? Please see our Sponsorship Prospectus and our Annual Report. Please contact the OSI to find out more about how your company can promote open source development, communities and software.
Support OSI by becoming a full member
Let’s build a world where knowledge is freely shared, ideas are nurtured, and innovation knows no bounds!
Join as a full member!
Source: opensource.org