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TechCheck

TechCheck Takes: How DeepSeek supercharged AI’s distillation problem 2/25/25

Feb 25, 2025
Arvind Jain, the CEO of Glean and a former Google veteran, discusses the transformative power of AI distillation techniques like DeepSeek’s. He highlights how these methods empower smaller teams to build competitive AI models, challenging larger players. Jain delves into the ethical dynamics of AI, touching on allegations against rivals for misusing resources. The conversation also emphasizes the impact of open-source AI on innovation, cost-effectiveness, and the burgeoning potential in the evolving tech landscape.
33:33

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Quick takeaways

  • The distillation technique enables smaller teams to leverage advanced AI capabilities from larger models, fostering competition against major industry players.
  • The shift towards open-source AI models is democratizing access and pushing established companies to innovate or risk becoming obsolete.

Deep dives

The Impact of Distillation on AI Development

The distillation technique in AI has revolutionized how models are built by allowing smaller teams to access advanced capabilities without extensive resources. This method involves training a smaller model by leveraging the knowledge of a larger, more complex model, enabling startups to compete effectively against industry leaders. For example, a new reasoning model was created for only $450, demonstrating how distillation can significantly reduce costs and increase efficiency in developing AI applications. This shift opens the door for innovation, as more players can now enter the AI space with less capital investment, challenging established companies.

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