DeepSeek said the V4-Pro-0813 substantially improves its capabilities for AI agents and is available through its API, app and web products. (Image: Reuters)

Chinese AI developers DeepSeek and Moonshot AI relied heavily on outputs from OpenAI’s powerful GPT-6 Astra model to train their latest models, The Information reported on Wednesday, citing people with direct knowledge of the ⁠matter.

The practice, known as distillation, has become a flashpoint for leading AI companies as US-China technology competition intensifies, with firms arguing it ​allows ​rivals to reproduce advanced capabilities ⁠more quickly and cheaply.

Moonshot AI’s Kimi K3.1 Pro model, which ‌was released last week, and DeepSeek’s upgraded V4.1-Flash 1017 model, which was launched on October 17, benefited from distilling Astra, The Information said.

OpenAI, DeepSeek and Moonshot AI did not immediately respond to Reuters ⁠requests for ⁠comment.

In a September 30 blog post, OpenAI said it ⁠had ‌linked a core part of a ​distillation…