As DeepSeek looms, Google’s Eric Schmidt calls for open source AI models: Report

Eric Schmidt, pictured above on the left [File]
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt called for the development of open-source AI models, as U.S.-based AI firms reassess their model development plans following the entry of China’s DeepSeek R1, which was developed at a fraction of its rivals’ costs.

Schmidt warned that unless action was taken, China would ultimately become an “open-source leader” while the rest of the world would become closed-source, reported Financial Times.

The former Google chief noted the need for investments in open-source technologies so that they could be more accessible to western universities. However, he encouraged collaboration with China in the area of AI safety, citing shared goals.

DeepSeek’s R1 has sparked debates about whether U.S.-based AI companies such as Google and OpenAI are investing their financial resources wisely, and if cutting-edge AI models can de developed at far lower costs.

The Chinese company’s AI chatbot quickly rose to the top of Apple and Google’s app stores, raising concerns about open-source Chinese AI models drawing in more users than closed, paid models made by U.S. companies.