Chinese AI Models Split Trump's AI Team

The launch of Kimi, a free open-source AI model from Chinese company Moonshot AI, has caused a rift among current and former Trump AI advisors. David Sacks called Anthropic's models 'lobotomized' and 'woke,' while Emil Michael insulted OpenAI's new head. Kimi appears to rival models from OpenAI and Anthropic, posing economic and political problems for Trump as cheaper Chinese models reduce incentives to pay for US models. The debate intensified after New York's ban on new data centers and growing distrust of AI companies. Sacks, now without a formal role, criticized top AI companies for wanting to eliminate open-source competition. Meanwhile, the administration favors more government intervention due to national security threats from powerful AI. The new White House review process aims to vet AI models before release, which Ball called a 'de facto licensing regime.' Michael rejected Ball's suggestion of quiet pressure, insisting on democratic processes. It remains unclear how Kimi was developed given China's limited chip access, possibly involving distillation—training on outputs of other models. OpenAI and Anthropic have complained about this practice, and the Trump administration took steps to curb it in April. The infighting highlights that while many see Chinese models as a wake-up call, there is no consensus on the appropriate response.