Resource answers
Can I use these model weights commercially or for AI training?
Open-weight model licenses range from fully permissive (Apache-2.0, MIT) to use-restricted (OpenRAIL, community licenses with user caps).
How can an AI agent check whether it may use model weights?
Call Rightshold's free check_license MCP tool or POST /v1/licenses/check with the license id and the intended uses; you get permitted, prohibited or needs-review with the reason and the duties.
What should I watch for with model weights? (1)
Apache-2.0 and MIT weights can be fine-tuned and deployed commercially.
What should I watch for with model weights? (2)
OpenRAIL-style licenses carry use restrictions that must pass to downstream users.
What should I watch for with model weights? (3)
Some community licenses limit commercial use above a user threshold or forbid training competing models.
Common licenses for model weights
- CC0 — commercial: Yes, training: Yes
- MIT — commercial: Yes, training: Needs human review
- Apache 2.0 — commercial: Yes, training: Needs human review
- GPL 3.0 — commercial: Yes, training: Needs human review
- AGPL 3.0 — commercial: Yes, training: Needs human review
- Llama 3.1 Community — commercial: Yes, training: Needs human review
- Gemma — commercial: Yes, training: Needs human review
- CreativeML OpenRAIL-M — commercial: Yes, training: Needs human review
Check by API (free)
curl -s https://www.rightshold.com/v1/licenses/check -H 'content-type: application/json' \
-d '{"license_id":"CC0-1.0","intended_use":{"uses":["commercial_use"]}}'