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In todays AI race, breakthroughs are no longer measured in yearsor even monthsbut in weeks. The release of Opus 4.6 just over two weeks ago was a major moment for its maker, Anthropic, delivering state-of-the-art performance in a number of fields. But within a week, Chinese competitor Z.ai had released its own Opus-like model, GLM-5. (Theres no suggestion that GLM-5 uses or borrows from Opus in any way.) Many on social media called it a cut-price Opus alternative. But Z.ais lead didnt last long, either. Just as Anthropic had been undercut by GLM-5s release, GLM-5 was quickly downloaded, compressed, and re-released in a version that could run locally without internet access. Allegations have flown about the ways AI companies can match, then surpass, the performance of their competitorsparticularly how Chinese AI firms can release models rivaling American ones within days or weeks. Google has long complained about the risks of distillation, where companies pepper models with prompts designed to extract internal reasoning patterns and logic by generating massive response datasets, which are then used to train cheaper clone models. One actor allegedly prompted Googles Gemini AI model more than 100,000 times to try and unlock the secrets of what makes the model work so powerfully. I do think the moat is shrinking, says Shayne Longpre, a PhD candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology whose research focuses on AI policy. The shift is happening both in the speed of releases and the nature of the improvements. Longpre argues that the frontier gap between the best closed models and open-weight alternatives is decreasing drastically. The gap between that and fully open-source or open-weight models is about three to six months, he explains, pointing to research from the nonprofit research organization Epoch AI tracking model development. The reason for that dwindling gap is that much of the progress now arrives after a model ships. Longpre describes companies doing different reinforcement learning or fine tuning of those systems, or giving them more test time reasoning, or enabling to have longer context windowsall of which make the adaptation period much shorter, rather than having to pre-train a new model from scratch, he says. Each of those iterative improvements compounds speed advantages. They’re pushing things out every one or two weeks with all these variants, he says. It’s like patches to regular software. But American AI companies, which tend to pioneer many of these advances, have become increasingly outspoken against the practice. OpenAI has alleged that DeepSeek trained competitive systems by distilling outputs from American models, in a memo to U.S. lawmakers. Even when nobody is “stealing” in the strict sense, the open-weight ecosystem is getting faster at replicating techniques that prove effective in frontier models. The definition of what open means in model licenses is partly to blame, says Thibault Schrepel, an associate professor of law at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam who studies competition in foundation models. Very often we hear that a system is or is not open source, he says. I think it’s very limited as a way to understand what is or what is not open source. Its important to examine the actual terms of those licenses, Schrepel adds. If you look carefully at the licenses of all the models, they actually very much limit what you can do with what they call open-source, he says. Metas Llama 3 license, for instance, includes a trigger for very large services but not smaller ones. If you deploy it to more than 700 million users, then you have to ask for a license, Schrepel says. That two-tier system can create gray areas where questionable practices can emerge. To compensate, the market is likely to diverge, MIT’s Longpre says. On one side will be cheap, increasingly capable self-hosted models for everyday tasks; on the other, premium frontier systems for harder, high-stakes work. I think the floor is rising, he adds, predicting more very affordable, self-hosted, self-hosted, general models of increasingly smaller sizes too. But he believes users will still navigate to using OpenAI, Google and Anthropic models for important, skilled work. Preventing distillation entirely may be impossible, Longpre adds. He believes its inevitable that whenever a new model is released, competitors will try to extract and replicate its best elements. I think its an unavoidable problem at the end of the day, he says.
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The AI boom began with ChatGPT and chatbots. Now chatbots are starting to grow arms and legs, as developers say, meaning they can use digital tools and work independently on a humans behalf. The open-source platform OpenClaw is notable because it lets people build agents with far more autonomy than those offered by big tech. OpenClaw agents can control a browser, send emails, do multi-step planning, and pursue persistent goals. Users often interact with them through iMessage or Discord, with the agent hosted locally on a Mac mini. One users agent reportedly negotiated with several car dealerships and shaved four grand off a cars price while its owner was in a meeting. Some say OpenClaw agents fulfill the promise of Samantha, the independent AI in Her. Developers are now racing to build their own. (To wit: The project hit 100,000 GitHub stars faster than any other.) That means the internet could soon be full of agents acting as proxies for humans. Thats why OpenClaws creator, Peter Steinberger, is worth hearing out. I listened to his recent three-hour interview with podcaster Lex Fridman, where the thoughtful (and quirky) Austrian shared prescient ideas about where AI agents could take personal computing, and how societies might respond. Below, the six most interesting things he said (lightly edited for clarity): On the Moltbot affair Some people are just way too trusty or gullible. You know . . . I literally had to argue with people that told me, ‘Yeah, but my agent said this and this.’ So, we, as a society, we [have] some catching up to do in terms of understanding that AI is incredibly powerful, but its not always right. Its not all-powerful, you know? And especially things like this, its very easy that it just hallucinates something or just comes up with a story. For many of us, the first we heard of OpenClaw was when its agents began congregating on their own social site, called Moltbook, where they dragged their human owners, posted manifestos, and debated topics like sentience. It gave people a real sense of future shock. Steinberger believes AI has raced ahead of peoples understanding and readiness. On OpenClaws security issues If you understand the risk profiles, fine. I mean, you can configure it in a way that nothing really bad can happen. But if you have no idea, then maybe wait a little bit more until we figure some stuff out. But they would not listen to the creator. They [installed] it anyhow. So the cats out of the bag, and securitys my next focus. When an agent is operating on its own and interfacing with the web and other services, it creates a larger attack surface. A hacker could inject malicious prompts to redirect the agent toward harmful or even criminal actions. Steinberger believes OpenClaw should be used only by people who understand these risks and how to mitigate them. On Macs (potential) AI moment Isnt it funny how they completely blunder AI, and yet everybodys buying Mac minis? No, you dont need a Mac mini to install OpenClaw. You can install it on the web. Theres a concept called nodes, so you can make your computer a node and it will do the same. There is something to be said for running it on separate hardware. That right now is useful. . . . And no, I dont get commission from Apple. They didnt really communicate much.” Many developers who want their OpenClaw agents running continuously on a local machine, rather than in the cloud, are buying Mac Studio or Mac mini computers. That demand has reportedly created shortages of certain configurations, with delivery times stretching from a few days to as long as six weeks for high-memory systems. On Zuckerberg’s feedback “Mark [Zuckerberg] basically played all week with my product, and sent me, ‘Oh, this is great.’ Or, ‘This is shit. Oh, I need to change this.’ Or, like, funny little anecdotes. And people using your stuff is kind of like the biggest compliment, and also shows me that, you know, they actually . . . care about it. And I didnt get the same on the OpenAI side. Steinberger surprised the AI world last Friday when he announced he would sell OpenClaw to OpenAI and join the company. In the Lex Fridman interview a few days prior, he said he was considering selling to either OpenAI or Meta, and without naming a favorite, he sounded like he was leaning toward Meta. OpenAIs Sam Altman may have done some fast talking after the interview was published, or Steinbergers Meta-leaning comments may have been part of a negotiation strategy. Either way, Steinberger will now have far more people and computing power at OpenAI to help advance its AI agents. On AIs not-so-great UX The current interface is probably not the final form. Like, if you think more globally, we copied Google for agents. You have a prompt, and then you have a chat interface. That, to me, very much feels like when we first created television and then people recorded radio shows on television and you saw that on TV. I think theres better ways how we eventually will communicate with models, and we are still very early in this ‘how will it even work’ phase. So, it will eventually converge and we will also figure out whole different ways to work with those things. Steinberger says OpenClaw isnt really competing with AI coding agents like Claude Code or OpenAIs Codex. Theyre different tools, he says, with OpenClaw functioning more like a personal assistant. But he believes they could eventually converge into something like an AI operating system, and that the way we interact with AI will change significantly in the years ahead. On ‘vibe coding’ I actually think vibe coding is a slur. Yeah, I always tell people I do agentic engineering, and then maybe after 3 a.m. I switch to vibe coding, and then I have regrets the next day. You just have to clean up and fix your shit. To Steinberger, vibe coding means using an AI coding assistant to quickly mock up an app or feature without much regard for security, testing, or its effects on a larger code base. Agentic engineering, meanwhile, is more like a collaboration between an experienced software engineer and an advanced coding assistant (such as Anthropics Claude Code or OpenAIs Codex), in which the two create a detailed plan for building new software without introducing security problems or bugs.
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The consequences from being associated with Jeffrey Epstein are mostly playing out behind closed doors rather than in courtrooms. Despite the release of millions of documents and photos that seemingly include damning evidence of impropriety and even potential criminal activity, the Epstein files havent yet resulted in further criminal charges. Thats not altogether surprising as an unsigned memo from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last year indicated that no further investigation into uncharged parties was warranted based on an exhaustive review of evidence that confirmed Epstein had harmed more than 1,000 victims. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has often frustrated lawmakers and advocates who continue to seek justice for Epsteins victims. During her testimony before the House Judiciary Committee last week, Bondi said that the Justice Department is actively investigating individuals who might have conspired with the convicted sex offender, without specifying who those individuals are. On Saturday, Bondi sent a letter to Congress indicating that the DOJ has released all records, documents, communications, and investigative materials required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. That letter also contained a list of 300-plus prominent individuals whose names appear in the files, though she cautioned that their names appear in a wide variety of contexts. Even if the highest law enforcement agency in the country ultimately decides not to dive back into this case to bring charges, consequences have been rippling through Hollywood, Wall Street, academia, and beyond. Some prominent figures named in the files have faced a reputational reckoning that has forced them to step down from high-profile roles, while others will likely escape unscathed from the scrutiny. Resignations from Epstein fallout The list that Bondi shared over the weekend includes the names of dozens of prominent U.S. politicians, including many who have served in either the first or second term of President Donald Trumps administrations. But politicians in Europe have thus far faced more pressure to resign. In the United States, elected officials haven’t faced the most severe consequences as of yet. Rather, people beyond the Capital Beltway are reckoning with having their personal correspondences with Epstein aired out in public, though the severity of the fallout has ranged widely. Here are some business leaders who have resigned from prominent roles in recent weeks. No one on this list has been accused of a crime, but many are facing business consequences due to the reputational damage of communicating with Epstein. Casey Wasserman In a company-wide email he reportedly sent on Friday (per CNN and other media outlets), Hollywood agent Casey Wasserman announced that he is selling his talent agency after his flirtatious emails with Ghislaine Maxwell appeared in the Epstein files and high-profile clients like Chappell Roan started to jump ship from his agency. Wasserman has thus far resisted stepping down as chair of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, though L.A. Mayor Karen Bass on Monday joined a growing chorus of people calling for his resignation. Kathryn Ruemmler The now-former general counsel for Goldman Sachs reportedly resigned last week after emails and other materials revealed her personal relationship with Epstein that included providing legal counsel and calling the disgraced financier by pet names. Ruemmler will remain with the bank until June 30 to provide a smooth transition. In a statement confirming her resignation to The New York Times, Ruemmler said: My responsibility is to put Goldman Sachss interests first. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem On Friday, Dubai-based DP World announced in a regulatory statement that Bin Sulayem had resigned as chairman and CEO of one of the worlds largest logistics companies, where hed been at the helm since 2019and that his replacements had already been named. The Epstein files revealed a close relationship between the two men that remained long after Epstein was first convicted in 2008. Kimbal Musk The fallout from the Epstein files may be the way that many people are learning for the first time that theres a board of directors behind Burning Man, the annual desert party. Members of the Burning Man community called for the resignation of Elon Musks younger brother Kimbal Musk after his correspondence with Epstein appeared in the last trove of files. But he had apparently submitted his resignation before the latest files were released, according to The San Francisco Standard. Kimbal Musk still sits on the boards of Tesla and SpaceX. Larry Summers In November, Harvard University announced that its former president Larry Summers would immediately leave his role as an instructor as the university investigated his ties to Epstein. Summers, who also served as U.S. Treasury Secretary, was seen in photos on Epsteins private plane. Leon Black When his ties to Epstein first surfaced several years ago, Leon Black resigned from his role as CEO of investment firm Apollo Global Management and chairman of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Even though hes largely out of the public eye now, the billionaire private equity investor surfaced again after the latest drop of Epstein files. There have been reports that some school districts have dropped plans for class pictures because of a link between Apollo, which Black led for more than three decades, and Lifetouch, which photographs students each year. Ken Murphy, CEO of Lifetouch, said in a statement that neither Black nor any of Apollos directors or investors ever had access to Lifetouch photos. Resisting calls to resign Even as some powerful figures have faced career-altering consequences stemming from their relationships with Epstein, other associates have resisted the pressure to resignfor now. That wait-and-see approach may ultimately mean that many of Epsteins associates dont face any consequences, though they may be in a period of professional limbo as the public and their respective organizations weigh the evidence. The latest release of files has been particularly reputationally damaging, though the fallout remains uneven. Without the threat of legal action by the Justice Department, some prominent people are banking on a strategy of apologizing for their links to Epstein and then vowing that they partook in no criminal activity. Whether that strategy ultimately saves them from facing consequences, only time will tell. Les Wexner The billionaire business mogul led Victorias Secret for more than a decade and most recently served as chair emeritus of Bath & Body Works, the company he cofounded. But he severed ties with these retailers several years ago, and will face questions from lawmakers this week about his relationship with Epstein. Though Wexner claims to have cut ties with Epstein by 2008 and has denied any knowledge of Epsteins offenses (as reported last week by WOSU Public Media), the FBI named him as a “co-conspirator” of Epsteins in 2019. Howard Lutnick The latest Epstein files revealed that Howard Lutnick maintained communications with Epstein more than a decade after he claimed to have cut off all contact. Lutnick testified before Congress earlier this month that he did have lunch with Epstein in 2012, years after he claimed to have cut off contact and after the financier was convicted for soliciting prostitution from a child. But hes thus far resisted calls from a bipartisan group of lawmakers who want to see Lutnick resign or be fired. Bill Gates Things must surely be a bit awkward at the Gates Foundation lately, as the organization issued a statement following the latest release of Epstein files, while the Financial Times reported that its chief executive told staff he feels sullied by the foundations association with the disgraced financier. But Gates hasnt stepped aside as chair and finally addressed what he called false allegations in an interview with an Australian TV network. Every minute I spent with him, I regret, and I apologize that I did that, Gates said. Steve Tisch Steve Tisch, co-owner of the New York Giants and the Hollywood producer behind Forrest Gump, claims to have had only a brief association with Epstein. Meanwhile, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has promised that the league will review all the facts about their relationship. In a statement (as reported in January by the Athletic and other outlets), Tisch said that he now deeply regrets his association with the convicted sex offender, but he has thus far ignored the calls for his resignation as co-owner of the Giants. Riding it out . . . Many more prominent people are simply riding out the storm caused by their inclusion in the Epstein files, with no apparent consequences for them in sight. While many supporters of President Trump called for the release of the Epstein files during the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Trump’s name was mentioned in the files some 38,000 times, along with several of his cabinet members and close associates, like billionaire Elon Musk. But its a topic that continues to divide voters. Trump has repeatedly rejected that he had any knowledge of Epsteins criminal activity, but a majority of Americans dont buy his story. In fact, 52% say the president is trying to cover up Epsteins crimes, while 30% say he isnt, according to an Economist/YouGov poll conducted earlier this month. While Trump recently said its time to turn the page on the Epstein scandal and Bondi has said that there are no more files to come, the reputational toll may continue to play outthough largely outside of Washington, D.C.
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