Ep 74 - Kimi K3 Was So Good It Freaked Out Two Governments

About this episode

Beijing is moving to restrict how far its own open-source AI models can travel abroad, just as Washington moves to restrict how far they can travel in. • Same standoff, squeezing from opposite ends of the pipeline. Quick note: This episode is the first of a new, more frequent style of podcast we're rolling out – shorter, faster-turnaround conversations to react to the news as it breaks, alongside our regular weekly deep dives. • Look for more of these in your feed soon. On this episode, Andrew Polk sits down with Kendra Schaefer (Head of Tech Policy Research) to unpack: • Why MOFCOM's reported talks with Alibaba, ByteDance, and Zhipu on export controls could reshape how Chinese model weights get released • The three priorities Beijing is trying to balance: model competitiveness, security risk, and controllability • How Kimi K3's release has intensified US anxiety, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent floating possible sanctions over model distillation • What Xi's WAIC speech signals about China staying committed to open source while tightening the regulatory leash Give it a listen and let us know what you think.