Yes, recent developments suggest that DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, may have engaged in intellectual property (IP) theft. OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has accused DeepSeek of using a technique called “distillation” to replicate its proprietary AI models. This process involves training a smaller model to mimic the behavior of a larger one, potentially violating OpenAI’s terms of service.
Microsoft’s security researchers detected suspicious activity last fall, where individuals believed to be connected to DeepSeek extracted large amounts of data through OpenAI’s application programming interface (API). OpenAI has since blocked suspected DeepSeek accounts from accessing its API.
This situation has raised concerns among U.S. officials about the national security implications of DeepSeek’s actions. The White House is currently evaluating the potential risks associated with the Chinese AI app.
In summary, the allegations against DeepSeek indicate a potential case of IP theft, reflecting broader concerns about the protection of intellectual property in the global AI industry.