Microsoft probes if DeepSeek-linked group improperly obtained OpenAI data, Bloomberg News reports

Microsoft and OpenAI are investigating whether a group connected to the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek improperly obtained data from OpenAI’s technology. Microsoft’s security team discovered suspicious activity in the fall, where individuals linked to DeepSeek appeared to be extracting large amounts of data via OpenAI’s API. The API is primarily used by developers and businesses to access OpenAI’s services.

DeepSeek, a low-cost competitor to U.S. AI companies, recently made headlines when its AI assistant surpassed OpenAI’s ChatGPT on the U.S. Apple App Store. The news raised concerns, with David Sacks, the White House’s AI and crypto czar, suggesting DeepSeek may have stolen intellectual property. He emphasized the possibility that DeepSeek distilled knowledge from OpenAI’s models to advance its own AI capabilities.

OpenAI has acknowledged that Chinese companies and others frequently attempt to replicate the models of leading U.S. AI firms. In response to such threats, OpenAI is working closely with the U.S. government to safeguard its intellectual property and prevent unauthorized use of its technologies. Microsoft and DeepSeek have yet to comment on the situation.

Source: REUTERS