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Why Databricks Co-Founder Argues US Must Go Open Source to Beat China in AI

Databricks co-founder Andy Konwinski warns that the U.S. risks losing its AI edge to China. He emphasizes that open-source AI research is critical for staying competitive. According to Konwinski, freely sharing ideas can accelerate breakthroughs, citing how the Transformer architecture revolutionized generative AI through openly available research.

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How Open Source Can Help the U.S. Compete in AI

Konwinski explains that most U.S. AI labs—like OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic—keep innovations proprietary, limiting collaboration. By embracing open-source models, American researchers could share knowledge widely, inspire innovation, and retain academic talent. He contrasts this with China, where the government actively encourages AI research to be openly shared, fueling rapid progress.

What Risks the U.S. Faces Without Open-Source AI

According to Konwinski, failing to adopt open-source AI could slow innovation and threaten U.S. global leadership. Chinese AI labs are already producing more accessible research, giving their companies a competitive advantage. Konwinski calls this an “existential” risk to democratic nations that rely on technological superiority.