OpenAI Seeks Collaboration with China After U-Turn on Access
In a significant shift, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has expressed a desire to collaborate with China on artificial intelligence, reversing the company’s previous decision to restrict access to ChatGPT and other AI services in the country.
Speaking at the Paris AI Action Summit, Altman emphasised the importance of working with China. He recognised that this collaboration could face opposition from the US government. However, he stressed the need for global cooperation in AI development.
This change in stance comes on the heels of the emergence of DeepSeek, a Chinese company that has developed powerful open-source AI models at a fraction of the cost of major tech companies.
DeepSeek’s advancements have highlighted the rapid progress of Chinese AI research, despite US sanctions, and have raised questions about the viability of current AI development models and the massive investments being made by companies like Nvidia.
The summit saw discussions on international collaboration on AI safety, with Chinese officials emphasising the need for a “shared future for mankind.” However, access to OpenAI’s services remains blocked in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
