MAX (Modular)
MAX (Modular) is a runtime maintained by Modular31. Its source code is partly available or requires approval317; licensed under the Apache License 2.0 with LLVM Exceptions (open-source MAX components in the modular repository)43 and the Modular Community License (MAX package usage and distribution)63.
MAX is Modular's framework for serving and building AI models. It serves models through an OpenAI-compatible API, offers PyTorch-like Python APIs for writing model pipelines, and includes a GPU kernel library for NVIDIA, AMD, and Apple hardware. Its Python API, model pipelines, and GPU kernels are open source; the MAX package as a whole is distributed under the Modular Community License.1236
- Documentation: Documentation (external site: max.modular.com)
- Repository: Repository (external site: github.com)
- License: Repository LICENSE (open-source components) (external site: github.com)
- License: Modular Community License (external site: modular.com)
- Release notes: Releases (external site: github.com)
Availability and license
Overall availability
The MAX package is free to download and use, including commercially, under the Modular Community License. The license requires attribution in derivative works, sets trademark requirements for commercial hosted inference services, and bars using MAX as training input for AI systems that would reimplement or substitute for it.62
Availability is separate from permission: read the license before using or redistributing.
Apache License 2.0 with LLVM Exceptions (open-source MAX components in the modular repository) (external site: github.com)43
Plain-language guide to the Apache License 2.0 with LLVM ExceptionsModular Community License (MAX package usage and distribution) (external site: modular.com)63
The repository README says MAX usage and distribution fall under the Modular Community License, while the code in the repository is Apache 2.0 with LLVM exceptions. The Community License page (last modified August 18, 2026) says portions of MAX are available under Apache 2.0 with LLVM exceptions and that Modular is making the remaining MAX source, including the compiler, runtime, and device APIs, available under the Community License. Modular's ModCon post (August 18, 2026) says the MAX license no longer contains device usage restrictions. The PyPI metadata for the max 26.6.0 package declares LicenseRef-MAX-Platform-Software-License.3689
Component reuse rights
- weights
- Unknown — no complete fact-level rights review
- code
- Unknown — no complete fact-level rights review
- data
- Unknown — no complete fact-level rights review
- documentation
- Unknown — no complete fact-level rights review
No complete system-rights review is recorded for this release.
Public materials checklist
| Item | Status | Notes and evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Source codeIs the source code publicly readable? | Partial | The MAX Python API, serving code, model pipelines, and GPU kernels are published in the modular repository. Modular's September 2026 release post says it remains committed to making the rest of the MAX source available, without giving a date.317 |
| DocumentationIs user documentation published? | Public | Quickstart, serving, modeling, and GPU programming documentation on max.modular.com.12 |
| InstallationAre installation instructions or packages publicly available? | Public | Documented installs with pixi (max-all) and uv (max[all]); Docker is referenced as an alternative.27 |
| Supported platformsAre supported operating systems or hardware documented? | Public | The quickstart lists Linux and WSL, recommends data-center NVIDIA (B200, H200, H100) or AMD (MI355X, MI325X, MI300X) GPUs, and says consumer systems run fewer models more slowly. The MAX homepage says the same package runs on NVIDIA, AMD, and Apple silicon.21 |
| Release statusAre versioned releases published? | Public | MAX 26.6 was released on September 17, 2026; releases are published on GitHub.75 |
What it is useful for
Run and use notes
- MAX serves models through an OpenAI-compatible endpoint, by default on a local server at localhost port 8000, and includes a max benchmark command.2
Organization context
In the news
Modular 26.6 and Mojo 1.1 open the Mojo compiler to outside contributions
Modular released MAX 26.6 and Mojo 1.1 on September 17, 2026, and said it is now accepting contributions to the Mojo compiler, which it open-sourced under the Apache 2.0 license at ModCon in August. Modular also says it has migrated its internal issues to public GitHub issues. The release notes say Mojo 1.1 marks more standard library APIs as stable, including String, SIMD and List, and removes deprecated items such as the fn and alias keywords. MAX 26.6 adds an audio generation pipeline that launches with support for MiniMax-Music3, and support for Thinking Machines' Inkling architecture. USASI has not tested this release.
Modular open-sources the Mojo compiler and tooling
At its ModCon conference on August 18, 2026, Modular announced that the full Mojo language, including the compiler and tooling, is open source; the modular repository that holds it is licensed under Apache 2.0 with LLVM exceptions, while the prebuilt mojo package on PyPI declares a separate Modular license. Modular also said the MAX license no longer contains device usage restrictions. On September 17 it said the Mojo compiler had begun accepting outside contributions.
Modular releases Mojo 1.0 alongside MAX 26.5
Modular released Mojo 1.0 with its Modular 26.5 release on August 11, 2026. Modular's announcement says that during the 1.x timeframe changes should be primarily additive, and the GitHub release notes say Modular has started marking a small set of standard library APIs as stable. The notes warn of more breaking changes than usual, saying nearly every one ships with a deprecated alias and a compiler fix-it. In MAX 26.5, most GPU programming APIs moved out of the Mojo standard library into a new top-level max package, and Apple silicon GPU support was extended back to M1 devices. USASI has not tested this release.
Qualcomm completes its acquisition of Modular
Qualcomm completed its acquisition of Modular Inc on July 28, 2026, according to its quarterly report, and the closing was announced on July 29. Modular's announcement says Mojo, MAX, and Modular Cloud continue as products and brands, supported through Qualcomm Technologies. The Modular record now lists Qualcomm as its parent company, and Modular remains the maintainer of the Mojo and MAX records.
U.S. eligibility
Eligible · basis: U.S.-governed project
MAX is developed and distributed by Modular Inc, whose terms of service give offices in Los Altos, California, and whose open-source MAX components are published in Modular's modular GitHub repository. Modular has been owned by Qualcomm Incorporated, a Delaware corporation with principal executive offices in San Diego, California, since July 2026.310611
Sources
This listing is not an endorsement, a safety assessment, or a federal approval.
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USASI. (2026, September 29). MAX (Modular). United States of America Superintelligence. https://unitedstatesofamericasuperintelligence.com/open/max/
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@misc{usasi_max,
author = {{USASI}},
title = {MAX (Modular)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
howpublished = {\url{https://unitedstatesofamericasuperintelligence.com/open/max/}},
note = {United States of America Superintelligence. Last updated 2026-09-29}
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