Is open source safer for AI, and why do you prefer it?

I prefer open source because I can inspect it, test it, improve it, and keep using it without one vendor controlling the whole arrangement. That gives me ways to build trust. It does not make the software automatically safe. Somebody still has to review, harden, maintain, and operate it.

For AI, open weights and open source are different things. Check the exact model release, artifact provenance, runtime, license, and the surrounding agent system. A private model can still be attached to tools that send data elsewhere or act too broadly. My September 2026 Field Note on vetting local AI, including Kip Boyle's corrections and contributions, goes into that distinction. Ownership gives you responsibility as well as freedom.