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The AI Race Just Got Awkward

412 points · 463 comments · allisdust

  1. slowin · · focus · HN ↗
    I'm also grateful to the Chinese labs for providing workarounds for the walled gardens that the US based AI companies are attempting to create.

    Does anyone know if there are any distillation datasets available? I'd love to see these distributed on BitTorrent. I think it's critical that AI be democratized and not isolated in the hands of a few private companies.

    1. 10xDev · · focus · HN ↗
      An authoritarian regime is not your friend and will pullback the moment their own models become highly capable.
      1. pksebben · · focus · HN ↗
        Oh no, they might stop doing the thing that benefits me and that they were never required to do in the first place.
        1. stackedinserter · · focus · HN ↗
          It can be predatory pricing that will bite us later.
          1. wat10000 · · focus · HN ↗
            It really can't be when the models are open weights and there's zero lock-in for inference providers.
            1. fsflover · · focus · HN ↗
              Open weight is not open source. See: freeware vs free software.
              1. wat10000 · · focus · HN ↗
                Ok, so?
                1. fsflover · · focus · HN ↗
                  You have the lock-in, as you can&#x27;t modify the freeware. You will be stuck will all its anti-features. Also, have a look at the reasons for having the four freedoms of free software: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.gnu.org&#x2F;philosophy&#x2F;free-software-even-more-important.html" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.gnu.org&#x2F;philosophy&#x2F;free-software-even-more-impor...
                  1. wat10000 · · focus · HN ↗
                    What does the ability to modify a model have to do with lock-in?

                    Models aren’t software. Software has a learning curve and costs of adoption. Models and inference are completely fungible.

                    1. fsflover · · focus · HN ↗
                      &gt; What does the ability to modify a model have to do with lock-in?

                      For example, Chinese models can spread the CCP propaganda and censor the results. You can&#x27;t change it and may not even notice.

                      &gt; Models aren’t software.

                      Models are software. They run on computers, require development, can have bugs etc. They can be downloaded or provided as SaaS.

                      &gt; Models and inference are completely fungible.

                      Until the next version of DeepSeek becomes closed and you will only have the access to the last good open-weight model.

                      1. wat10000 · · focus · HN ↗
                        Sorry, are you actually paying any attention to the discussion? You’re spouting a bunch of buzzword non sequiturs. You started off by talking about how open weights aren’t open source when nobody said anything about open source. Now you’re talking about propaganda in response to a question about lock-in.

                        Lock-in means you can’t switch to a different model or a different provider because the cost (in time or money) of switching is high. Censorship and propaganda have nothing to do with it. You can switch to DeepSeek in an instant. You can switch away from it in an instant. The switching cost is zero.

                        And no, models are data files. The inference engines are software. Models run on many engines and most engines support many models. Another example of how there’s no lock-in: you can switch both models and engines at no cost. If you’re using an inference provider, they probably offer many models you can switch between, and you can switch to a different provider with no effort.

                        If the next version of DeepSeek becomes closed then you can switch to GLM or Kimi or MiniMax or whatever else in two seconds, or keep on using the last open version of DeepSeek. Zero lock-in.

          2. tornikeo · · focus · HN ↗
            How exactly will downloaded gguf files bite me later?

            Is it going to shut the laptop&#x27;s lid when i&#x27;m not looking and pinch my fingers?

            1. stackedinserter · · focus · HN ↗
              If the only thing that bothers you is laptop lid pinching your fingers, then no – it won&#x27;t do it.
          3. KolibriFly · · focus · HN ↗

            [dead]

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