In December, Google launched Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking, another model using inference-time compute, which also displays its reasoning steps. This rapid development of similar AI models highlights the competitive and fast-paced nature of the AI industry, where innovations quickly become commoditized. The proliferation of such models raises questions about the sustainability of investing large sums in developing new AI technologies, as the cost of accessing these tools has significantly decreased.
Key takeaways:
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- OpenAI's o1 model, introduced in September, was a breakthrough in AI, using a new approach called inference-time compute to tackle complex questions.
- By November, a Chinese AI lab released DeepSeek, a similar model that shows users each step of its thought process, unlike OpenAI's o1.
- Google launched Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking, another competitor that also reveals its reasoning steps, highlighting the rapid commoditization of AI innovations.
- The swift proliferation of similar AI models raises questions about the sustainability of high investment costs in developing new AI technologies.