# Field of use restriction

URL: https://sellmydatatoai.net/glossary/field-of-use-restriction

A field of use restriction limits a license to a defined application, industry or product type, leaving the licensor free to license other fields.

A field of use restriction is a license term that limits the licensee's rights to a defined field, such as a type of product, an industry or a kind of model. The licensor keeps the right to use the same asset, or license it to others, outside that field.

## Are field of use restrictions lawful?

Field of use restrictions are generally lawful in the US. The DOJ and FTC [Antitrust Guidelines for the Licensing of Intellectual Property](https://www.justice.gov/atr/IPguidelines/download), issued January 12, 2017, state that "field-of-use, territorial, and other limitations on intellectual property licenses may serve procompetitive ends". The agencies examine restrictions that harm competition, such as a ban on using rival products.

## How do field of use restrictions work in AI data licenses?

In AI data licenses, field of use restrictions let a seller grant exclusivity in one area while licensing elsewhere. Examples include:

- Legal research models only, with all other uses free to license
- Evaluation only, with no training rights
- Speech recognition but not voice generation

Define the field precisely, because a vague field invites disputes. See [exclusive license](https://sellmydatatoai.net/glossary/exclusive-license) and [exclusive vs non-exclusive data licenses](https://sellmydatatoai.net/guides/exclusive-vs-non-exclusive-data-licenses).