This article critically examines the evolving discourse on openness in education and science in light of recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Drawing on Geels’ Multi-Level Perspective (MLP), the authors analyze the interplay between niche innovations, socio-technical regimes, and broader landscape-level forces. They trace historical parallels with Open Educational Resources (OER) and Open Science (OS), highlighting persistent challenges in translating open practices into systemic change. The paper argues for a robust theoretical grounding of openness, combined with context-sensitive, democratically governed policy and infrastructure, to ensure that AI developments align with the core values of equity, participation, and the public good.