Someone bought the domain 'OGOpenAI' and redirected it to a Chinese AI lab | TechCrunch
Jan 23, 2025 - techcrunch.com
A software engineer named Ananay Arora has purchased the domain "OGOpenAI.com" and redirected it to DeepSeek, a Chinese AI lab known for its open-source AI models. Arora acquired the domain for a minimal cost and plans to sell it for a profit. This move highlights DeepSeek's approach to releasing advanced AI models for free use, reminiscent of OpenAI's earlier practices. DeepSeek recently gained attention by releasing an open version of its DeepSeek-R1 model, which reportedly outperforms OpenAI's o1 on certain benchmarks. The trend of Chinese AI labs like DeepSeek and Alibaba's Qwen offering open alternatives to OpenAI's models comes amid U.S. efforts to limit China's AI advancements through chip export restrictions.
OpenAI's current reluctance to release its most powerful models in an open format has drawn criticism, including from Elon Musk, who argues that the company is straying from its original nonprofit mission. Arora was inspired to redirect the domain to DeepSeek after a now-deleted post by Perplexity's CEO, Aravind Srinivas, which compared DeepSeek to OpenAI's more open past. This development underscores the ongoing competition and innovation in the AI industry, particularly between U.S. and Chinese AI labs.
Key takeaways:
A software engineer redirected the domain “OGOpenAI.com” to DeepSeek, a Chinese AI lab known for open source AI models.
DeepSeek released an open version of its DeepSeek-R1 model, claiming it outperforms OpenAI’s o1 on certain benchmarks.
OpenAI faces criticism for not releasing its flagship AI models in an open format, contrasting with its early years.
The American government has imposed chip export restrictions to curb China’s AI labs, but new models from China suggest more action may be needed.
