Yes, we are open?! Responsible design of artificial intelligence with Open Science

The strategy paper "Yes, we are open! Designing artificial intelligence responsibly" is based on the results of the event of the same name held in March 2025 and shows how we can use the opportunities offered by AI courageously, openly and in the interests of the common good. Instead of viewing AI solely as "large language models," the paper emphasises the diversity of approaches – from rule-based methods to generative systems – and makes it clear that openness is the key to trust, transparency and participation. However, openness does not mean "everything for everyone", but rather a careful balance between accessibility, data protection and security. Only in this way can AI be democratically controlled, reproducible and oriented towards the common good.

The vision developed is a digital culture in which AI technologies are developed and used in a transparent, sustainable and fair manner. Four areas of action have been identified to achieve this: knowledge spaces and networking for collaborative learning, competence building for critical and practical know-how, open digital infrastructures for sovereignty and sustainability, and innovative governance models that combine rules and freedom. With concrete measures – from exchange platforms and open science programmes to transparent benchmarks – the paper invites politics, science, civil society and business to work together to build a strong AI ecosystem. The goal is clear: AI should not lead to a concentration of power, but rather promote innovation, cooperation and participation.

The event and publication were funded by the Berlin University Alliance and Weizenbaum Institute.