We ask a lawyer about GitHub Copilot

JS Party: JavaScript, CSS, Web Development

Luis Villa of Tidelift joins the show to discuss GitHub Copilot and the implications of an AI pair programmer from a legal perspective.

Join the discussion

Changelog++ members save 3 minutes on this episode because they made the ads disappear. Join today!

Sponsors:

• Retool – Retool is a low-code platform built specifically for developers that makes it fast and easy to build internal tools. Instead of building internal tools from scratch, the world’s best teams, from startups to Fortune 500s, are using Retool to power their internal apps. Learn more and try it for free at retool.com/changelog
• Micro – Micro is reimagining the cloud for the next generation of developers. It’s a developer friendly platform to explore, search, and use simpler APIs for everyday consumption all in one place. They’re in early development building out the first set of APIs, and they’re looking for feedback from developers. Signup and get $5 in free credits.
• Sentry – Working code means happy customers. That’s exactly why teams choose Sentry. From error tracking to performance monitoring, Sentry helps teams see what actually matters, resolve problems quicker, and learn continuously about their applications - from the frontend to the backend. Use the code SHIPIT and get the team plan free for three months.

Featuring:

• Luis Villa – Website, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X
• Nick Nisi – Website, GitHub, Mastodon, X
• Christopher Hiller – Website, GitHub, Mastodon, X

Show Notes:

• GitHub Copilot
• OpenAI
• Google v. Oracle
• GNU General Public License
• Fair use
• Lotus v. Borland
• Transformative Use
• Authors Guild v. Google
• Ethical Open Source Movement
• Eleuther AI
• W3C Web Machine Learning Working Group
• Does free software benefit from ML models being derived works of training data?
• Cassidy Plays with GitHub Copilot

Something missing or broken? PRs welcome!