Dave W Plummer: "AI Cloning should be illegal" (twitter.com)

Dave W. Plummer has sparked debate within the AI/ML community by declaring that "AI Cloning" should be illegal, highlighting the intricate process he used to reverse-engineer a Windows application. Utilizing NSA's Ghidra, Plummer was able to extract the application’s functionality, converting its code into Rust without retaining any of the original code. This method involved feeding the executable (Exe) through various transformations—rendering it into a sequence of operations (OPS), translating it into Rust, and finally generating a new executable that mirrored the original in functionality and appearance. This revelation raises significant ethical and legal considerations in the AI field, particularly regarding software piracy and intellectual property rights. Plummer argues that this cloning process does not produce an independent work, but rather a direct piracy of the original software. He cautions against allowing AI to base its outputs on existing applications, an approach that could lead to rampant cloning in software development, affecting everything from small applications to major tools like Photoshop and Final Cut. His comments set the stage for future legal discussions on the boundaries of AI-generated content and the implications of reverse-engineering in the tech industry.