OpenAI says Chinese rivals using its work for their AI apps

OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, recently stated that competitors, including those in China, are leveraging its research to rapidly advance the development of their own artificial intelligence (AI) tools. This accusation highlights the intensifying competition within the AI field.

The sudden emergence of a Chinese application called DeepSeek this week has posed a significant challenge to the position of OpenAI and other US companies as global AI leaders. DeepSeek is reportedly able to simulate ChatGPT's performance at a much lower cost, raising concerns about the US's leading position in the AI sector.

Bloomberg reported that Microsoft is investigating whether OpenAI's data has been used without authorization. Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI, has shown the importance of protecting intellectual property through its investigation. The BBC has contacted both Microsoft and DeepSeek for comment but has not yet received a response.

OpenAI's concerns were echoed by David Sacks, the newly appointed White House "AI and Cryptocurrency Czar." Sacks stated on Fox News that DeepSeek may have used models developed by OpenAI to improve its own, a process known as knowledge distillation. "There's a lot of evidence that what DeepSeek has done is distill knowledge from OpenAI's models," Sacks said. "I think in the coming months you're going to see our leading AI companies take steps to try to stop knowledge distillation... It certainly will slow down the emergence of some copycat models."

In a statement, OpenAI said that China and other companies are "constantly trying to extract models from leading U.S. AI companies." The company also added, "As we continue to move forward... it is critical that we work closely with the U.S. government to best protect the most powerful models." However, accusations of intellectual property infringement are not new in the tech sector and are often directed at major US AI companies.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that US officials are also considering the national security implications of DeepSeek's emergence. "I spoke to [the National Security Council] this morning and they are looking into what the [national security implications] could be," Jean-Pierre said. She also reiterated comments made the previous day by US President Donald Trump that the emergence of DeepSeek should be a wake-up call for the US tech industry.

Earlier reports indicated that the US Navy has banned its members from using the DeepSeek application due to "potential security and ethical concerns." According to CNBC, the US Navy has sent emails to its staff warning them not to use the DeepSeek app, citing "potential security and ethical concerns regarding the model's origin and use." The Navy has not responded to the BBC News' request for comment.

Data security experts are cautioning users to use the tool with caution, as it collects large amounts of personal data and stores it on servers in China. Meanwhile, DeepSeek stated that it has been the target of cyberattacks. The company said on Monday that it would temporarily limit registrations due to a "massive malicious attack" on its software. A banner displayed on the company's website stated that registrations may be busy due to the attack.

The social media channel "Yuyuantantian," affiliated with China's state broadcaster CCTV, claimed that the company had suffered "multiple" cyberattacks in recent weeks, with an increase in the "intensity" of the attacks. The cyberattacks on the Chinese company come as US officials are investigating the national security implications of DeepSeek's AI.

DeepSeek's breakthrough has shaken the US AI industry, especially given the widespread belief that the US is far ahead in the competition. This advantage was previously thought to be solidified by a series of trade restrictions that prohibited China from obtaining high-end chips. Although China has increased its investment in advanced technologies to diversify its economy, DeepSeek is not one of the large Chinese companies that have been developing AI models to compete with the US-made ChatGPT.

Experts say that the US still has an advantage - it is home to some of the world's largest chip companies. It is not yet clear how DeepSeek built its model and how far it can go. Nevertheless, the emergence of DeepSeek has undoubtedly sounded an alarm for the US AI industry and has raised questions about the future competitive landscape.