When Code Writes Code: The New Licensing Frontier

Generative AI can now rebuild full software products in minutes — but can it do that legally? In this episode, we dive into the collision between AI-generated code and the fine print of software licenses. Tools like Cursor, Copilot, and ChatGPT are transforming how developers work, but they’re also testing the limits of what “independent development” really means.

This episode summarizes this Medium post - https://medium.com/@tobrien/the-fine-print-ai-forgot-982934bfd923

We’ll look at how vendors are rewriting terms of service to prevent being “AI’d out of business,” why clauses about “competing software” suddenly matter again, and how lawsuits like Doe v. GitHub are setting early precedents. Along the way, we’ll unpack real-world examples — from Highcharts’ license language to Meta’s Llama 2 restrictions — and talk about the ethics of cloning software with a model.

The takeaway: with great AI power comes great legal responsibility. Before you ship your next AI-generated feature, read the terms — or risk reading a summons instead.

Links from the News:

• Rust GPUI Components – GitHub: Rust GUI components library for building cross-platform apps using GPUI (by Longbridge) – https://github.com/longbridge/gpui-component

• GPUI Official Site: Introduction and docs for the GPUI framework (from the creators of Zed editor) – https://www.gpui.rs/

• “Recall for Linux” Satire – GitHub: Parody repository bringing Microsoft’s Recall to Linux (humorous project poking fun at Windows Recall) – https://github.com/rolflobker/recall-for-linux

• Stockholm Univ. News – Unexpected Astronomical Observations: Researchers find surprising patterns in 1950s telescope data – https://www.su.se/english/news/unexpected-patterns-in-historical-astronomical-observations-1.855042