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The AI Race Just Got Awkward

412 points · 463 comments · allisdust

  1. cmiles8 · · focus · HN ↗
    Why is it a problem that the Chinese labs are just distilling down Anthropic’s models? Aren’t Anthropic’s models not just distilling down other people’s work?

    Feels like Anthropic crying do as I say not as I do.

    1. jrflo · · focus · HN ↗
      Because cost of original training >> cost of distilling. It's the same thing that happens with Chinese knockoffs of physical products - it takes a lot of money and R&D time to design a new product, but it's basically free to buy the product, reverse engineer it, and resell it. All the data they originally trained on was available for free on the internet. If the original work was so valuable, it shouldn't be up on the internet for free in the first place imo.
      1. ASalazarMX · · focus · HN ↗
        Caveat: cost of creating human knowledge/art >>>>>>>>>> cost of original training >> cost of distilling

        You could say Anthropic distilled human knowledge and art.

        1. jrflo · · focus · HN ↗
          Right, but the humans willingly released all those creations for free. I think that my issues with the "AI companies stole human creations" stance is that the information was freely available to everyone, and they put a lot of money and effort into transforming it into something useful.
          1. ASalazarMX · · focus · HN ↗
            > but the humans willingly released all those creations for free

            How can one answer this statement in good faith? AI companies literally violated IP by massively pirating works instead of legally licensing them.

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