Some Simple Economics of Open versus Closed AI
rseroter · x · 2026-08-12
a16z published an essay by Christian Catalini exploring who pays for training and safety if AI model weights are free. Drawing parallels from the 1851 Great Exhibition, the article cites economic research suggesting patent systems affect the allocation rather than the level of innovation.
The author argues that the AI market's future may depend more on idea compounding and complementary assets than on restricting access to model weights.
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