DeepSeek AI engineer slams Anthropic, OpenAI over ‘pacing’ calls, invokes Nazi Germany

A DeepSeek engineer has expressed deep concerns over the concentration of advanced AI resources in US firms Anthropic and OpenAI, fueling a contentious debate in China. This as potential calls for slowing AI development to ensure safety and security were expected to be discussed at an upcoming meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump on September 24.

Liu Shengyu, the engineer behind DeepSeek’s V4.1 models, voiced his distrust for Anthropic or OpenAI to open up and democratize cutting-edge AI, in stark contrast to DeepSeek's open-source approach. "I especially don’t want Anthropic to master the most advanced artificial intelligence or AGI," Liu stated, citing social mobility issues as a major concern.

He likened Anthropic's control over advanced AI to Nazi Germany obtaining nuclear weapons before the Allies, highlighting his decision to stay with DeepSeek due to his belief in fostering inclusive and open-source AI. Neither DeepSeek nor Anthropic commented immediately after being contacted. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei had previously urged frontier AI companies to "pace" development, warning that capabilities were outpacing safeguards.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and xAI founder Elon Musk echoed his call for a slower race. However, some Chinese observers have questioned the motives behind such calls to slow down AI development, with the Dongbuyaqiao Research Institute suggesting it could be an attempt to gain greater control over industry rules before they are fully established.

Despite the safety warnings, Anthropic was still set to go public later in the year, with a projected valuation of around US$2 trillion. The remarks sparked a strong reaction from Beijing, with the foreign ministry spokesman warning that fear-mongering, confrontation, and aggressive competition would hinder sound global AI governance.

A commentator for National Business Daily also argued that the calls for safety and alignment were driven by deeper financial motivations. The debate has intensified the dispute over how advanced AI systems should be developed and who gets to set the rules. State media in China described Amodei's proposals as a "quiet AI cold war," suggesting they aimed to preserve America's technological lead while excluding China from global AI governance.

US President Trump dismissed such calls, arguing that restraining AI development could benefit China. The debate has impacted financial markets, with US technology stocks declining on Monday amidst investor concerns over potential slower AI development.