Chinese AI developers DeepSeek and MiniMax have won state approval for global use of their AI models, according to a post on Thursday on Yuyuan Tantian, a social media account affiliated with state broadcaster CCTV, Reuters reported.
MiniMax said on Friday it had completed the technology export registration with China’s commerce ministry for open-source release and overseas licensing of “certain recently released and upcoming models,” according to Reuters. DeepSeek did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.
In a separate post on Friday, the account said overseas internet users had urged other Chinese open-source large language models to follow suit, Reuters reported.
New export controls
The clearances come a week after Beijing proposed export controls on 23 AI technologies on October 16, including those involving models, agents and computing clusters. The proposed controls cover overseas deployment of AI models containing restricted technology, Reuters reported, and were Beijing’s latest move to limit the transfer of tools it views as vital to national security amid geopolitical competition with Washington.
China’s commerce ministry said at the time that most AI technologies would remain exportable, with simplified licensing for open-source technology exports and for Chinese companies operating their own computing centers overseas, Reuters reported.
Separately, DeepSeek has raised about 100 billion yuan in a new funding round, people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.