Microsoft and OpenAI are investigating claims that a group associated with DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, may have unlawfully obtained data from OpenAI’s services.
The suspicious activity, observed in the fall of 2024, reportedly involved the exfiltration of significant amounts of data via OpenAI’s API, which is primarily used by developers and businesses to access the company’s AI technology.
Concerns About Intellectual Property Theft
David Sacks, the White House’s AI and crypto czar, expressed concerns that DeepSeek might have stolen intellectual property from U.S. companies, claiming that the group distilled knowledge from OpenAI’s models.
An OpenAI spokesperson echoed these concerns, noting that companies based in China and other regions continuously attempt to replicate U.S. AI models.
OpenAI is implementing countermeasures to protect its intellectual property and is working closely with the U.S. government on security strategies.
DeepSeek’s Rapid Rise
DeepSeek has emerged as a low-cost alternative to U.S.-based AI companies, gaining attention when its AI assistant overtook OpenAI’s ChatGPT on the Apple App Store in the U.S. earlier this week.
However, Microsoft and OpenAI’s ongoing investigation has cast a shadow on the startup’s rapid rise.