License and Usage Terms ======================= The Causal AI Scientist (CAIS) is released under the MIT License, which is a permissive open-source license that allows for both academic and commercial use. MIT License ----------- .. code-block:: text MIT License Copyright (c) 2025 CausalNLP Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software. THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE. What This Means ---------------- The MIT License is one of the most permissive open-source licenses. Here's what it allows: **Permissions** * ✅ **Commercial Use**: You can use CAIS in commercial projects and products * ✅ **Modification**: You can modify the source code to suit your needs * ✅ **Distribution**: You can distribute copies of CAIS * ✅ **Private Use**: You can use CAIS for private/internal projects * ✅ **Sublicensing**: You can include CAIS in projects with different licenses **Requirements** * 📋 **License and Copyright Notice**: You must include the original license and copyright notice in any substantial portions of the software * 📋 **Attribution**: When distributing or using CAIS, you should provide appropriate attribution **Limitations** * ❌ **No Warranty**: The software is provided "as is" without warranty * ❌ **No Liability**: The authors are not liable for any damages or issues * ❌ **No Trademark Rights**: The license doesn't grant trademark rights Usage Guidelines ---------------- **Academic and Research Use** * CAIS is free to use in academic research and educational settings * Please cite CAIS in your publications (see :doc:`citation` for formats) * Consider contributing improvements back to the community * Share your research findings with the CAIS community **Commercial Use** * CAIS can be used in commercial products and services * No licensing fees or royalties are required * You can modify CAIS to meet your business needs * Consider contributing general improvements back to the project * Ensure compliance with the license terms in your distribution **Government and Non-Profit Use** * CAIS is free for government agencies and non-profit organizations * Can be used for policy analysis, program evaluation, and research * Modifications for specific use cases are permitted * Consider sharing improvements that benefit the broader community **Open Source Projects** * CAIS can be included in other open-source projects * Compatible with most other open-source licenses * Ensure license compatibility when combining with other software * Maintain proper attribution and license notices Third-Party Dependencies ------------------------ CAIS depends on several third-party libraries, each with their own licenses: **Core Dependencies** * **pandas** - BSD 3-Clause License * **numpy** - BSD 3-Clause License * **scikit-learn** - BSD 3-Clause License * **scipy** - BSD 3-Clause License * **matplotlib** - PSF License (Python Software Foundation) **LLM Integration Dependencies** * **openai** - MIT License * **anthropic** - MIT License * **requests** - Apache 2.0 License **Documentation Dependencies** * **sphinx** - BSD 2-Clause License * **sphinx-rtd-theme** - MIT License * **jupyter** - BSD 3-Clause License **Testing Dependencies** * **pytest** - MIT License * **pytest-cov** - MIT License * **black** - MIT License * **flake8** - MIT License All dependencies are compatible with the MIT License and allow for the same freedoms. Data and Model Licenses ------------------------ **Synthetic Data** * All synthetic datasets generated by CAIS are released under the same MIT License * You can use, modify, and distribute synthetic data without restrictions * Synthetic data is generated algorithmically and doesn't contain real personal information **Example Datasets** * Real datasets used in examples and tutorials may have their own licenses * Check individual dataset documentation for specific license terms * Some datasets may have restrictions on commercial use or redistribution * Always verify dataset licenses before using in your projects **LLM Model Usage** * CAIS integrates with external LLM providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) * Each provider has their own terms of service and usage policies * Users are responsible for compliance with LLM provider terms * API costs and usage limits are determined by the LLM providers Contributing and License ------------------------ **Contributor License Agreement** By contributing to CAIS, you agree that: * Your contributions will be licensed under the same MIT License * You have the right to license your contributions * Your contributions are your original work or properly licensed * You understand the implications of the MIT License **Code Contributions** * All code contributions must be compatible with the MIT License * Include appropriate license headers in new files * Ensure any new dependencies are MIT-compatible * Document any license considerations in pull requests **Documentation Contributions** * Documentation contributions are licensed under the same MIT License * You retain copyright to your contributions * Contributions become part of the CAIS project under MIT License * Proper attribution is maintained in the project history License Compliance ------------------ **For Users** To comply with the MIT License when using CAIS: 1. **Include License Notice**: Include the MIT License text in your distribution 2. **Maintain Copyright**: Keep the original copyright notice 3. **Attribution**: Provide appropriate attribution to the CAIS project 4. **No Warranty Claims**: Don't claim warranty or support from the original authors **For Distributors** If you distribute CAIS or products containing CAIS: 1. **License File**: Include the full LICENSE file 2. **Copyright Notices**: Maintain all copyright notices 3. **Attribution**: Clearly attribute the CAIS project 4. **Dependency Licenses**: Include licenses for all dependencies **For Modifiers** If you modify CAIS: 1. **Original License**: Keep the original MIT License 2. **Modification Notice**: Clearly indicate what you've modified 3. **New Copyright**: You can add your own copyright for modifications 4. **Compatibility**: Ensure modifications remain MIT-compatible Frequently Asked Questions -------------------------- **Can I use CAIS in my commercial product?** Yes, the MIT License explicitly allows commercial use without any licensing fees. **Do I need to open-source my modifications?** No, the MIT License doesn't require you to open-source your modifications, though we encourage contributions back to the community. **Can I change the license of my modified version?** You can license your modifications under different terms, but the original CAIS code must remain under the MIT License. **What if I find a security vulnerability?** Please report security vulnerabilities responsibly by emailing cais-security@your-org.com rather than opening a public issue. **Can I remove the license notice?** No, the MIT License requires that the license and copyright notice be included in all substantial portions of the software. **What about patent rights?** The MIT License doesn't explicitly grant patent rights, but it's generally understood to include an implicit patent license for the software. Contact for License Questions ----------------------------- If you have questions about licensing or usage terms: * **Email**: cais-legal@your-org.com * **GitHub Issues**: For general license questions * **Legal Inquiries**: For complex legal questions, consult with your legal team **Disclaimer**: This documentation provides general guidance about the MIT License but is not legal advice. For specific legal questions, consult with a qualified attorney. License History --------------- * **Version 0.1.0+**: MIT License (current) * **Pre-release**: Internal development license The project has been under the MIT License since its first public release, ensuring consistency and clarity for all users and contributors.