DeepSeek, a rising Chinese AI startup, offers its services at just 6% of OpenAI’s cost.
Now, OpenAI is accusing the company of using its proprietary models to train its own system.
According to OpenAI, DeepSeek used a technique called “distillation,” where one AI model learns from another—potentially violating OpenAI’s terms of service.
But critics are quick to point out the irony: OpenAI itself trained its models on copyrighted content without permission.
DeepSeek’s rapid rise has shaken up the industry, reportedly wiping out over $1 trillion in market value in a single day. The controversy has sparked heated debate, with many calling OpenAI’s complaints hypocritical.
Observers note that OpenAI has long been criticized for scraping the internet without compensating creators, making its stance against DeepSeek seem self-serving.
Some experts argue that training AI models using the outputs of others is a common industry practice, casting doubt on OpenAI’s accusations.
Meanwhile, as the White House assesses whether DeepSeek poses national security risks, OpenAI’s credibility in this dispute remains under the microscope.
