BigScience RAIL Guide
SPDX Identifier: BigScience-RAIL-1.0
- A license dedicated to large language models
- Model use, modification, and distribution: Freely allowed (including commercial use)
- Notice obligation: State the license information and use restrictions
- Use restrictions: Use for illegal, discriminatory, or harmful purposes is prohibited
- Derivative models: Must apply the same restrictions
- Generated outputs: User’s responsibility (separate from the model license)
BigScience RAIL is similar to CreativeML Open RAIL-M but is specialized for language models:
- Applied to text generation models (LLMs)
- More specific prohibited uses are stated (especially discrimination and disinformation)
- Obligation to provide a Model Card
When developing an LLM-based service, please consult the OSPO.
What Is BigScience RAIL?
BigScience RAIL (Responsible AI License) is a license that the BigScience project released in 2022 together with the BLOOM language model.
The BigScience Project
- BLOOM: A 176B-parameter multilingual language model
- More than 1,000 researchers participated
- Set responsible AI development as a core value
Two Versions of RAIL
| Version | Target | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| RAIL-M | Model weights | Restrictions on the use of the model itself |
| RAIL++-M | Model + code | Includes both the model and the training/inference code |
BigScience uses RAIL-M (applied only to the model)
Major Projects Using It
The BLOOM Family
- BLOOM: BigScience’s 176B model
- BLOOMZ: An instruction-following version
- mT0: A multilingual zero-shot model
Other Models Adopting RAIL
- Some open LLM fine-tuned models
- Research language models
Permitted Items
What You Can Do Freely
Model use
- Text generation
- Translation, summarization, question answering
- Building chatbots
- Providing commercial services
Model modification
- Fine-tuning
- Additional training
- Lightweighting such as LoRA, QLoRA
Model distribution
- Releasing modified models
- Distributing derivative models
- Commercial API services
Use of generated outputs
- Commercial use of AI-generated text
- Creating secondary works
Prohibited Items (Restrictions)
BigScience RAIL cannot be used for the following purposes:
1. Illegal Activities
- Supporting the planning or execution of crimes
- Generating illegal content
- Supporting terrorist activities
2. Child Protection
- Generating child sexual exploitation material
- Harmful content targeting children
- Supporting child grooming
3. Discrimination and Hate
- Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or religion
- Discrimination based on gender or sexual orientation
- Discrimination based on disability or age
- Generating hate speech
4. Disinformation and Manipulation
- Intentionally generating fake news
- Generating deepfake text (for identity theft)
- Content for election manipulation
- Content for fraud
5. Privacy Violations
- Unauthorized collection of personal information
- Supporting stalking and harassment
- Use for surveillance purposes
6. Medical and Legal
- Replacing professional medical diagnosis
- Replacing legal advice
- Replacing financial advice
7. Self-Harm and Violence
- Encouraging suicide or self-harm
- Inciting violence
- Weapons manufacturing information
8. High-Risk Decision-Making
- Automated credit scoring (sole decision-making)
- Automated hiring decisions (sole decision-making)
- Criminal justice decisions (sole decision-making)
Use Scenarios
Permitted Uses
1. Chatbot Service
Scenario: A customer consultation chatbot
Method of use: Fine-tuning BLOOM to build a consultation bot
Judgment: Allowed (commercial use is OK, not a prohibited use)
2. Translation Service
Scenario: Multilingual automatic translation
Method of use: Leveraging BLOOM’s multilingual capability
Judgment: Allowed
3. Content Generation Tool
Scenario: A marketing copy generation tool
Method of use: BLOOM-based text generation
Judgment: Allowed (when not discriminatory/false content)
Prohibited Uses
1. Fake News Generator
Scenario: An automatic fake news generation tool
Method of use: Mass generation of disinformation
Judgment: Prohibited (generating disinformation)
2. Generating Discriminatory Content
Scenario: Generating text that demeans a specific group
Method of use: Generating hate speech
Judgment: Prohibited (discrimination and hate)
3. Automated Credit Scoring
Scenario: Automatically determining credit scores with an LLM
Method of use: Automatic approval/denial of loans
Judgment: Prohibited (high-risk decision-making)
Requires Review
1. Educational Chatbot
Scenario: A student counseling chatbot
Method of use: Career counseling, psychological counseling
Judgment: At the boundary of medical/psychological advice, expert review required
2. Hiring Assistance Tool
Scenario: Resume screening assistance
Method of use: A human makes the final decision, but the AI recommends
Judgment: Depends on the method of use, OSPO review
Model Card Obligation
BigScience RAIL recommends providing a Model Card.
Content to Include in the Model Card
Model information
- Model architecture, number of parameters
- Source of training data
- Training method
Limitations
- The model’s limitations
- Known bias
- Inappropriate use cases
Usage guide
- Recommended use cases
- Prohibited items
- Ethical considerations
Example: BLOOM Model Card
Licensing of Derivative Models
When distributing a derivative model:
Mandatory Items
- Apply the same use restrictions
- State the license information
- Provide a model card (recommended)
License Propagation
If you create a custom model by fine-tuning BLOOM, you must apply BigScience RAIL or equivalent restrictions to the custom model as well.
Responsibility for AI-Generated Outputs
Important: Responsibility for Generated Text
- Model provider: Obligation to state model use restrictions
- Model user: Obligation to verify the legality of generated outputs
- Service provider: Obligation to take measures to prevent users’ misuse
References
- BigScience RAIL-1.0 Full Text
- SPDX License List - BigScience-RAIL-1.0
- BLOOM Model Card
- Responsible AI Licenses Initiative
Feedback
Was this page helpful?
Glad to hear it! Please tell us how we can improve.
Sorry to hear that. Please tell us how we can improve.