Elasticsearch and Kibana are once again being classified as open-source projects with the addition of the AGPL license, alongside existing ELv2 and SSPL licenses, marking a return to the open-source community ethos that Elastic founder Shay Banon emphasizes is integral to the company's identity. The decision to change the license three years ago was driven by issues with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and market confusion, leading to a fork of Elasticsearch. Now, with a stronger partnership with AWS and reduced market confusion, Elastic is reintroducing an open-source license to provide more options to users who value different licensing models. Banon highlights that this move is part of a long-term strategic vision to foster more open-source collaboration globally, and reassures users that while the licensing has expanded, the core offerings and innovations of Elasticsearch, such as advancements in GenAI and security features, continue to thrive.