A coalition of technology companies led by Nvidia Corp. and Microsoft Corp. called on policymakers to promote the development of open-weight artificial intelligence models, positioning it as key to ensuring the US maintains technological leadership.
In a letter Friday, tech firms including Palantir Technologies Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. argued that an open approach to AI software development was critical to continuing innovation in AI and other key areas of the economy. Open-weight models allow users to download and customize the technology, making it more versatile to developers and businesses.
Open-weight models “are an important part of that foundation because they make advanced AI more accessible, adaptable and widely available,” read the letter, which was shared by Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang in his first post to a new personal X account. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also shared it from his account.
The missive was released a week after Chinese startup Moonshot AI unveiled an open-weight model called Kimi K3 that it said rivaled top offerings from OpenAI and Anthropic PBC. The release rattled investors and prompted policymakers in Washington to raise the possibility of cracking down on China’s AI technology.
Chinese companies, including DeepSeek, have previously flooded the market with more affordable, open models that typically lag behind the most cutting-edge software from US rivals but nonetheless can undercut them on price. While some AI developers like OpenAI do offer open alternatives, much of their focus has been on closed or proprietary systems that they sell to businesses and customers to recoup the substantial cost of building AI.
The coalition of tech firms did not mention China or Moonshot in the letter, but rather appealed to the need to bolster and maintain US competitiveness in AI. Open-weight models have the potential to bolster global adoption of AI, thereby driving up sales of chips from firms like Nvidia.
“Our AI leadership will be judged not by one frontier AI model, but by whether the United States builds a strong, open ecosystem that diffuses into every sector,” the letter said. “This is essential for creating opportunities for innovation and prosperity across the country.”