🚀 China’s open model shoots to the top

Welcome, AI enthusiasts

Back in January when DeepSeek made waves with its open-source model, China’s AI labs started releasing one strong model after another. Now, before DeepSeek even returns with a new version, one of those models called Kimi-K2 has just launched and is heading straight to the top, challenging the biggest closed systems. Let’s dive in! 

In today’s insights:

• China’s open model shoots to the top

• Windsurf’s leaders jump ship to Google

• New AI video tool aims at pro filmmakers

Read time: 4 minutes

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

MOONSHOT AI
🚀 China’s open model shoots to the top

Evolving AI: China’s Moonshot AI has released Kimi-K2, a huge open-weight language model designed to compete with closed models like Claude Sonnet 4 and GPT-4.1.

Key Points:

• Kimi-K2 uses a mixture-of-experts design with one trillion parameters.

• It performs well in coding, math, science, and multilingual tasks.

• The model is open-weight, supports advanced agent workflows, and can run locally or through API.

Details:

Kimi-K2 is a massive new AI model from China’s Moonshot AI. It’s built to do more than just answer questions. It can run tools, write and fix code, and handle big tasks on its own. There are two versions: one for research and one ready to use for everyday tasks. You can use it through an API or run it yourself if you have strong hardware. Moonshot says Kimi-K2 performs as well as or even better than top closed models, showing how fast open AI is moving in China.

Right after Kimi-K2’s release, Sam Altman tweeted that OpenAI delayed their new open-weight model to do extra safety checks. There are rumours that Kimi-K2’s launch pushed OpenAI to slow down and make sure their model could really compete.

Why It Matters:

Kimi-K2 shows China is serious about open AI and not just playing catch-up anymore. This model can handle real tasks like coding and tool use, and it stands right next to the best closed models out there. So it’s a big sign that open, powerful, and flexible AI is going to shape the future way more than we thought. You should definitely give this free model a try.

WINDSURF
 🤖 Windsurf’s leaders jump ship to Google

Evolving AI: Windsurf’s $3B sale to OpenAI is off. Instead, Google hired its top leaders and licensed its tech for $2.4B.

Key Points:

• OpenAI’s planned acquisition fell apart after the exclusivity window ended.

• Google took Windsurf’s CEO, co-founder, and key researchers, but not the company itself.

• Windsurf’s future is now uncertain, with a new interim CEO and most staff staying on.

Details:

OpenAI’s $3 billion deal to buy Windsurf is officially over. Once the exclusivity period expired, Windsurf leaders quickly struck a deal with Google. Google DeepMind confirmed it hired CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder Douglas Chen, and other top researchers. The company will also pay $2.4 billion to license parts of Windsurf’s technology, but it won’t own the startup or control it. Windsurf’s business head, Jeff Wang, will now act as interim CEO. Most of Windsurf’s 250 employees will stay and keep offering its AI coding tools to enterprise clients. Windsurf has been growing fast, reaching $100 million in ARR earlier this year. But losing its core leadership puts its future at risk. Google hopes this move will boost its push into AI coding, an area where rivals like Anthropic and OpenAI are also competing hard.

Why It Matters:

OpenAI lost its shot at locking down Windsurf just when it needed an edge in the AI coding race, and Google jumped in to scoop up the key people and tech instead. It shows how these big players are fighting for top talent to stay ahead, and it proves that who you hire can shape the whole future of AI. OpenAI now has to watch Google turn that missed chance into a win, and you know, that stings.

MOONVALLEY
🎬 New AI video tool aims at pro filmmakers

Evolving AI: Moonvalley has launched Marey, a video AI tool built for professional filmmaking, trained only on licensed data.

Key Points:

• Marey is designed to give directors full creative control and legal security.

• The tool was co-developed with filmmakers and offers detailed camera and motion features.

• Starts at $14.99 for 100 credits, with an enterprise option and a beta platform called Voyager.

Details:

Moonvalley’s new AI video model Marey is aimed at serious filmmakers, trained fully on licensed data to avoid legal risks. The tool offers fine control over camera moves, object and character motion, and pose guidance, supporting five-second clips in 1080p. Marey was developed with help from Moonvalley’s in-house studio Asteria and tested with directors for months. Filmmaker Ángel Manuel Soto says it helps creators tell stories without big studio approval. Pricing starts at $14.99 for 100 credits, and there’s an enterprise plan plus a beta platform called Voyager for advanced workflows.

Why It Matters:

The first safe AI video model for filmmakers has arrived. It’s fully licensed and director-focused, actually being used on real sets and projects. Because it puts filmmakers in control instead of algorithms, it cuts costs and opens doors for indie creators without sparking lawsuits. AI is slowly moving away from it’s hype. People are now using it, brands are testing it, and it shows how AI can fit into video production without stepping on creative rights.

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