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OpenAI has raised alarms about its Chinese competitor, DeepSeek, suggesting that the company may have "inappropriately" used its data to develop its own artificial intelligence chatbot. The claim comes after DeepSeek released a highly effective and low-cost Large Language Model (LLM) on Monday, which took the U.S. tech industry by surprise. The launch led to a significant drop in the stock of Nvidia, a major American chip manufacturer.
DeepSeek's Surprising Emergence
DeepSeek's sudden entry into the AI race with its new LLM has caught the attention of global markets, sparking concerns within the U.S. tech community. The model's performance, particularly at a competitive price point, has drawn comparisons to OpenAI's flagship model, ChatGPT. DeepSeek's release, however, has left many wondering how the company managed to develop such an effective AI in such a short period.
OpenAI's Distillation Claim
In response to the launch, an OpenAI spokesperson revealed that the company is investigating whether DeepSeek may have used a controversial technique known as "distillation" to develop its model. Distillation involves training one LLM using data generated by another LLM, a process often prohibited by terms of service agreements but commonly used in the industry.
“We are aware of and reviewing indications that DeepSeek may have inappropriately distilled our models, and will share information as we know more,” the spokesperson said in an email to NBC News. The spokesperson clarified that the company was not accusing DeepSeek of any security breach, but rather questioning the legitimacy of its data practices.
Industry Concerns and Legal Precedents
While distillation is not uncommon in the AI industry, it raises ethical questions about intellectual property and data ownership. OpenAI itself has faced legal challenges over accusations that it used unlicensed content, including millions of articles from The New York Times, to train its models.
Interestingly, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had congratulated DeepSeek on X (formerly Twitter) just days before the controversy, praising the company for its impressive model, especially considering its affordable pricing.
Potential White House Involvement
As tensions rise, OpenAI has indicated that the U.S. government, particularly the White House, may become involved in the dispute. The company has pledged to continue working with U.S. authorities to protect the intellectual property and capabilities of American AI companies.
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