These AI models are free, private, and will never say 'no' - WBAA

Open-weight AI models that can be downloaded and run by anyone are becoming more accessible and popular, according to a report from WBAA. These models have built-in safety guardrails that can be weakened or removed much more easily than those of ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini, said Noam Schwartz, CEO of AI security company Alice. The report highlights that the models are described as 'free, private, and will never say no'.

Schwartz's comments point to a growing concern about the safety of open-weight models as they proliferate. Unlike proprietary systems that maintain strict control over model outputs through server-side filtering, open-weight models allow users to modify or bypass safety measures once downloaded. This makes them attractive for applications where users desire unrestricted responses, but also raises potential risks for misuse.

The report from WBAA, dated May 31, 2026, notes that the ease of removing guardrails is a key differentiator from mainstream chatbots. As open-weight models become more accessible, the balance between openness and safety remains a central tension in AI development, with security experts warning that the same features that enable innovation also enable harmful uses.