Home›Global Markets›Trade & Tariffs›MiniMax restricts free access to H3 AI video model in…

MiniMax restricts free access to H3 AI video model in key overseas markets

The firm says developers in the US, EU, UK, and South Korea must apply for a formal licence for the open-source weights, while API access stays available globally via paid subscriptions or authorised partners.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Trade & Tariffs

Chinese AI company MiniMax has open-sourced its H3 generative video model, but it is limiting free access to the released model weights in major overseas markets, according to SCMP Economy.

After the Shanghai-based company published the weights on Monday, users found that the licence blocks unrestricted free use in the US, European Union, UK, and South Korea. The weights allow developers to use, copy, modify, and distribute the software without paying MiniMax, but MiniMax said developers in those regions must apply for a formal licence to comply.

MiniMax said access via an application programming interface remains globally available, through a paid subscription on its website or through authorised third parties.

The company attributed the regional carve-out to regulatory uncertainties and ongoing copyright-related legal proceedings.

More like this

Sources