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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The irony of AI

February 05, 2025 00:00:00


The world of artificial intelligence (AI) is full of fascinating contradictions, and the recent developments in this field highlight a particularly striking irony. OpenAI, a company that started with the noble goal of making AI accessible to everyone by sharing its research openly, has since shifted to a closed-door approach. While this move has allowed them to focus on creating cutting-edge products like ChatGPT, it has also moved them away from their original mission of democratising AI for the greater good.

This shift isn't unique to OpenAI. The AI industry as a whole has become increasingly competitive, with companies racing to build the most powerful models. This has led to a surge in demand for specialised hardware, particularly GPUs (graphics processing units) made by Nvidia. These chips are essential for training and running AI models, and their importance has made Nvidia a key player in the AI boom. However, even Nvidia isn't immune to challenges. Recently, its stock experienced a significant crash, partly due to the growing efficiency of alternative AI solutions that require fewer resources.

And here's where DeepSeek enters the scene as the unexpected contender. As an open-source AI model, DeepSeek has demonstrated remarkable efficiency, achieving impressive results with fewer chips and less training time compared to other models. This breakthrough has shaken the market, as investors begin to question whether the reliance on costly GPUs is as essential as once thought. DeepSeek's success has shown that AI development doesn't always need the most expensive hardware, and this realisation has contributed to the turbulence in Nvidia's stock.

What makes DeepSeek even more revolutionary is its commitment to openness. Unlike many of its competitors, DeepSeek remains fully open-source, meaning anyone can access and use its technology. In fact, if you have the right resources, you can even download the entire DeepSeek model and run it on your personal computer-a level of accessibility that was once thought impossible and a powerful reminder that the future of AI can still be open and inclusive.

The contrast between OpenAI's journey and DeepSeek's approach raises important questions about the future of AI. Why did OpenAI close its doors? The answer lies in the immense costs and competition involved in developing advanced AI systems.

Yet, DeepSeek's success shows that there's another way forward-one where AI remains open, efficient, and accessible. As we navigate this pivotal moment in AI's evolution, let's not lose sight of the importance of balancing innovation with inclusivity. The future of AI doesn't have to be locked behind closed doors; it can be open to all.

Saleheen Yeead

Student

Department of Mechanical Engineering, BUET

[email protected]


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