America’s Open-Model Paradox

Sequoia · 1 month ago · 46 ● 74 sources

China's open-source AI models, particularly Qwen, have become the primary foundation for Western AI startups and research labs, with Qwen's share of new open-model adaptations rising from 1% in January 2024 to 69% by February 2026. Western frontier labs use Chinese open models as teachers and sources of synthetic training data legally, while equivalent use of American models like GPT or Claude is prohibited, creating a structural advantage for Chinese competitors. The article argues the U.S. should create a legal domestic framework for capability transfer between American frontier labs and startups, rather than rely on Chinese open models as the default base for global AI development.