Open-source computing is facing an inflection point when it comes to enterprise use cases.

The recent surge in artificial intelligence presents a challenge to open source and could potentially topple generations of open-source work.

“No one wants to bet against open source,” said industry analyst John Furrier (pictured, left). “However, open source is in trouble right now because of the AI wave. We’re seeing a lot of signals where there are pressure points coming in this tornado of open source that puts a lot of things at risk.”

The organizational model, project model, licensing model and human equation are all areas of concern for open source in the face of the AI surge. However, startups, companies and non-profits will all leverage the value of open source, and finding a balance between using open source and making money will be important, Furrier added.

Furrier and guest analyst Rob Strechay (right) discussed how open source has become the industry standard and why AI integration may cause disruptions, at this week’s Open Source Summit NA, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio.

Challenges and opportunities for open source in an AI world

While the influx of AI-generated code may pose challenges for open source, it also presents opportunities for open-source projects, according to Strechay.

“It’ll be interesting to hear over the next couple of days where people think they can adapt. How do you adapt AI into open source?” he said.

AI could help bridge the skills gap and contribute to community development, Strechay explained.

The new generation of developers entering the open-source scene wants to dive into coding without being burdened by legacy dogma. And as the industry standard, the tech industry must consider how open source will evolve with these developers and integrate AI technologies into existing projects.

“What startups do is a tell sign,” Furrier said.

Startups often thrive on open source, and companies like Amazon Web Services, Google LLC and non-profits all have vested interests in leveraging the value of open source. One of the main concerns is finding the balance between using open source as a foundation for growth and maintaining an operating model that generates profit.

“There’s going to be a balancing act going on, especially for the startups that are leveraging this AI and leveraging these open-source pieces as foundational to them,” Strechay noted.

The open-source community has a history of being entrepreneurial and adapting to changes. It’s not wise to bet against open, according to Furrier.

“The people in the community are very entrepreneurial,” he said. “They’re technical; they understand waves and shifts. They can sniff out BS and get on the right side.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of Open Source Summit NA:

Photo: SiliconANGLE