<\/p>\n
DeepSeek has challenged big tech, proving AI can be efficient without costly graphics processing units (GPUs) or massive data centres. Now Microsoft is probing possible unauthorized access to OpenAI data by a group linked to DeepSeek. Are Chinese AI models just illegal copies?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
AI lab DeepSeek shocked big tech by training its open-source R1 model on Nvidia\u2019s lower-capability H800 chips for under $6 million\u2014far less than the billions spent on OpenAI\u2019s ChatGPT or Google\u2019s Gemini. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called R1 \u201cimpressive”, while Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei noted its near-frontier performance at low costs. Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger chose R1 over OpenAI for his startup, Gloo. DeepSeek\u2019s low-cost, energy-efficient, open-source AI could democratize access, challenging Microsoft, Google, Meta and Nvidia while proving advanced AI can be built without a huge outgo.<\/p>\n
Read more: <\/i>DeepSeek\u2019s breakthrough is a pivotal moment for the democratization of AI<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n There is deep-seated mistrust of Chinese products, services, companies and tech platforms in the US. Amodei argues DeepSeek has shown a natural step in cost cuts. But since a Chinese company led this advance, it caused a stir. Investor Gavin Baker noted that the $6 million cost excludes prior research, and such training is only possible if a lab has invested hundreds of millions and has access to large computing clusters. Microsoft is probing possible unauthorized access to OpenAI data by a group linked to DeepSeek. Ironically, OpenAI itself is facing copyright violation suits in the US and India too.<\/p>\n Alibaba\u2019s Qwen handles long inputs but needs high memory. Baidu\u2019s Ernie Bot 4.0 excels in search but lags ChatGPT in performance. ByteDance\u2019s Doubao 1.5 Pro is strong in social media AI but lacks adoption. Moonshot AI\u2019s Kimi k1.5 shows promise but is still developing. Despite China\u2019s AI progress, challenges remain in scaling, originality, and global competition.<\/p>\n OpenAI suspects DeepSeek distilled its advanced models into a smaller, cheaper version without permission. Distillation implies that DeepSeek may have used OpenAI\u2019s outputs as \u201cteacher” data to train its own AI, reducing costs and development time\u2014violating OpenAI\u2019s licence terms, and raising concerns about originality, ethics, and intellectual property (IP) rights. Ironically, R1 is now available on Microsoft\u2019s Azure AI Foundry and GitHub, also owned by the Redmond giant that has invested $10 billion in OpenAI.<\/p>\nAre there challenges to Chinese AI models?<\/h2>\n
How are other AI models from China faring?<\/h2>\n
What\u2019s the upshot of the charges?<\/h2>\n
What\u2019s India\u2019s stance on Chinese AI models?<\/h2>\n