Open Source Initiative Launches Open Source AI Fellowship at UN Open Source Week

Two-year fellowship—developed in partnership with Duke University, and supported by industry partners Red Hat, AWS, Google, Automattic and Mozilla —will drive research, build consensus, and help define the future of Open Source AI.

NEW YORK, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- UN Open Source Week —  The Open Source Initiative (OSI), globally recognized as the steward of the Open Source Definition and the Open Source AI Definition, today announced the launch of the Open Source AI Fellowship. The announcement was made at UN Open Source Week, the premier global forum for advancing Open Source collaboration in support of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Digital Compact, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York from June 22–26, 2026.

The fellowship is a two-year program designed to advance understanding of Open Source AI by conducting original research, measuring trends and building community consensus around what it means for an AI system to carry the Open Source label. It is grounded in OSI's new partnership with Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy and the interdisciplinary Science & Society Program, with launch sponsorship from Red Hat, AWS, Google, Automattic and Mozilla.

Gabriel Toscano will serve as the inaugural fellow. Toscano completed his Master of Public Policy (MPP), specializing in technology policy, at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy in May. His fellowship work will focus on three primary areas in year one: conducting research on the value flow of Open Source AI systems, producing analysis of AI models released since version 1.0 of the Open Source AI Definition (OSAID) was published, and launching a series of multi-stakeholder convenings to build consensus around shared understandings of Open Source AI. This research agenda is being co-developed with Duke University and is expected to inform policy discussions about the potential impact of AI governance on Open Source developers.

Among the fellowship's core research questions are how to measure the value created through Open Source AI development, how Open Source AI drives trustworthiness across different deployment contexts, and how technical community improvements flow back into AI systems. Toscano will also lead analysis of models—such as those in the Gemma 4 family—that have been released since the OSAID was written.

"Open Source works because we share a common understanding of what it means," said Duane O'Brien, executive director of the Open Source Initiative. "As AI systems become more prevalent, that shared understanding matters more than ever. The Open Source AI Fellowship will generate the research, analysis and community engagement that OSI and the broader Open Source ecosystem need to make Open Source AI a durable and trustworthy category, not just a label. We are grateful to Duke University, Red Hat, AWS, Google, Automattic and Mozilla for making this work possible."

In October, Toscano will convene the fellowship's first multi-stakeholder session in Raleigh, North Carolina, as part of the broader gathering around the All Things Open conference. The fellowship will also contribute to the Open Technology Research Symposium, taking place October 26–27 in Barcelona, and to the development of the Open Technology Research Network, which OSI supports in partnership with OpenForum Europe, the Open Knowledge Foundation and the Digital Infrastructure Insights Fund.

Organizations interested in supporting the fellowship should contact OSI Executive Director Duane O'Brien at [email protected].

OSI at the Center of Global Open Source AI Policy

The fellowship launch comes at a moment of significant momentum for OSI's policy and research work. The OSI continues to grow its role as a knowledge partner to governments and intergovernmental bodies navigating the policy implications of AI openness.

G7 Vision on AI Openness: In May, G7 Digital and Technology ministers approved a "Vision on AI openness opportunities and shared language" in Paris, the product of a three-month collaboration between the G7 and OSI. The vision establishes shared terminology for AI openness and draws broadly on the OSAID's framework. OSI Executive Director Duane O'Brien presented a summary of the work to the attending ministers. Read more.

EU Tech Sovereignty Package: In June, the European Union published its "Tech Sovereignty" package, placing Open Source at the heart of the EU's digital sovereignty strategy and addressing a significant number of OSI's recommendations on procurement, funding, standards participation and ecosystem sustainability. Read more.

Open Source and the Open Source AI Definition: A Briefing for Member States: As part of the 'Open Source x AI' day at UN Open Source Week, the OSI is hosting a roundtable discussion on the Open Source AI Definition and the policy debates around AI openness. Representatives of all 193 UN Member States are invited.

About the Open Source Initiative

Founded in 1998, the Open Source Initiative (OSI) is a nonprofit corporation with global scope formed to educate about and advocate for the benefits of Open Source and to build bridges among different constituencies in the Open Source community. It is the steward of the Open Source Definition and the Open Source AI Definition, setting the foundation for the global Open Source ecosystem. Join and support the OSI mission today at https://opensource.org/join.

MEDIA CONTACT 
Cristin Connelly
Cathey Communications for the Open Source Initiative
[email protected]

SOURCE Open Source Initiative