> Most of the researchers are specifically in a handful of big labs, most of which in turn are in the USA. As one who has done so, trust me when I say that relocation is harder than it seems on paper.
I think it's a bit short-sighted to assume that the future development of AI models will only come from large corporations or research institutions. At the moment, the training still requires a lot of computing resources and a lot of data - but these are limitations that are not permanent. Since the AI boom that Alex triggered in 2012, the development and optimization of models and training has improved very quickly, to the point that even hackers and enthusiasts can create very good models with a little money. Just because a government heavily regulates AI and possibly bans open weights doesn't mean that people on the fringes of legality will abide by it.
I think it's a bit short-sighted to assume that the future development of AI models will only come from large corporations or research institutions. At the moment, the training still requires a lot of computing resources and a lot of data - but these are limitations that are not permanent. Since the AI boom that Alex triggered in 2012, the development and optimization of models and training has improved very quickly, to the point that even hackers and enthusiasts can create very good models with a little money. Just because a government heavily regulates AI and possibly bans open weights doesn't mean that people on the fringes of legality will abide by it.