OpenAI’s Sam Altman downplays DeepSeek’s AI breakthrough claims

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has weighed in on rising AI competitor DeepSeek, offering a measured but confident take on their recent performance.

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg, Altman acknowledged the talent behind DeepSeek’s team but dismissed suggestions that the company had achieved a major leap in AI development.

“They’re a talented group and did a lot of good things,” Altman said. “But I don’t think they found something significantly more efficient than what we’ve already developed.”

His comments suggest that while he respects the work of competitors, he remains confident in OpenAI’s own technological edge.

Earlier this year, DeepSeek stirred industry-wide attention by releasing a low-cost AI model positioned as a potential rival to US-based systems.

Their announcement triggered a temporary drop in AI-related stocks, prompting concerns about disruption.

However, reports revealed that DeepSeek had largely relied on OpenAI’s own API in training their model, raising questions about the novelty and independence of their research.

Altman, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 after leading startup incubator Y Combinator, has consistently promoted long-term innovation over hype-driven competition

Under his leadership, OpenAI has developed breakthrough technologies like ChatGPT, DALL·E, and GPT-4, while securing significant investments, including a $10 billion partnership with Microsoft.