In the global tech arena, narratives can become weapons. China’s rapid progress in artificial intelligence, symbolized by the large language model DeepSeek, has been framed by some as "copycat growth" rather than genuine innovation. Let’s unpack this debate and look at the facts. 🤖
A threat narrative amplified
Earlier this year, OpenAI accused certain companies of distilling advanced U.S. AI models to catch up. Former White House AI advisor David Sacks warned that China might soon lead in AI military and economic power—fueling fear-driven headlines.
Model distillation: myth vs. reality
"Model distillation" is often painted as code theft, but it’s actually a common optimization technique used by Google, Microsoft, Meta and many others. It makes AI models leaner and cheaper to run—it doesn’t copy source code or internal designs.
Innovation under pressure
DeepSeek isn’t just riding on borrowed tech. It features homegrown solutions for resource scheduling, computing efficiency, and its own model evaluation system. Experts like Sebastian Raschka highlight that DeepSeek builds on global knowledge-sharing, not copying.
Long-term growth story
According to the Stanford AI Index Report 2025, research papers from the Chinese mainland make up 23.2% of global AI publications, with over 22% of citations. These numbers reflect sustained investment in R&D and talent, not shortcuts.
From labels to fair competition
Too often, Chinese AI breakthroughs are judged by who develops them rather than how they perform. Real competition should be based on transparent benchmarks and objective data, not fear-driven labels.
At this crossroads, we can choose division or collaboration. By setting aside misinformation, we pave the way for fair, global AI progress. 🌐💡
Reference(s):
Innovation or 'theft'? Rethinking the narrative on China's AI progress
cgtn.com
