Don't take Apple MLX too seriously, it's not going to last, here's why (serious post)

Posted by nderstand2grow@reddit | LocalLLaMA | View on Reddit | 56 comments

People get excited about Apple's new MLX library that let's you run LLMs and other GenAI models in a way that's optimized for Apple Silicon. I'm just here to warn you: The MLX library is not going to last and here's why:

Apple already has an official Github account where they list their repositories:

https://github.com/apple

When I first heard about Apple MLX, I wondered: Why isn't it on Apple's repo then? MLX is currently hosted here: https://github.com/ml-explore/mlx

The repo describes it as "Machine learning research on your laptop or in a data center - by Apple", but why isn't it on Apple's official account then? For context, Apple Ferret is on Apple's account: https://github.com/apple/ml-ferret

Hypothesis:

Still don't believe me? Look at Apple Ferret license below. They basically took Llava and Vicuna and made them more restricted:

Copyright (C) 2023 Apple Inc. All Rights Reserved.

IMPORTANT:  This Apple software is supplied to you by Apple
Inc. ("Apple") in consideration of your agreement to the following
terms, and your use, installation, modification or redistribution of
this Apple software constitutes acceptance of these terms.  If you do
not agree with these terms, please do not use, install, modify or
redistribute this Apple software.

In consideration of your agreement to abide by the following terms, and
subject to these terms, Apple grants you a personal, non-exclusive
license, under Apple's copyrights in this original Apple software (the
"Apple Software"), to use, reproduce, modify and redistribute the Apple
Software, with or without modifications, in source and/or binary forms;
provided that if you redistribute the Apple Software in its entirety and
without modifications, you must retain this notice and the following
text and disclaimers in all such redistributions of the Apple Software.
Neither the name, trademarks, service marks or logos of Apple Inc. may
be used to endorse or promote products derived from the Apple Software
without specific prior written permission from Apple.  Except as
expressly stated in this notice, no other rights or licenses, express or
implied, are granted by Apple herein, including but not limited to any
patent rights that may be infringed by your derivative works or by other
works in which the Apple Software may be incorporated.

The Apple Software is provided by Apple on an "AS IS" basis.  APPLE
MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION
THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THE APPLE SOFTWARE OR ITS USE AND
OPERATION ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH YOUR PRODUCTS.

IN NO EVENT SHALL APPLE BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL
OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
INTERRUPTION) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE, REPRODUCTION,
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AND WHETHER UNDER THEORY OF CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE),
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POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Edit: Added my comments here for the sake of completeness: