OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged that the company may need to rethink its stance on openness in artificial intelligence, admitting it is currently “on the wrong side of history” when it comes to transparency.
Altman made the remarks during a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session on Friday, responding to a question about whether OpenAI would consider publishing its research. He stated that he personally supports the idea and that discussions are underway within OpenAI regarding a new open-source strategy.
“I personally think we have been on the wrong side of history here and need to figure out a different open-source strategy,” Altman said. However, he noted that not everyone at OpenAI shares this perspective, and it is not the company’s top priority at the moment.

Altman’s comments come due to growing competition from companies such as Meta, France-based Mistral, and Chinese AI firm DeepSeek, which claim to distinguish themselves by making their AI models openly available. DeepSeek’s R1 chatbot, in particular, has attracted attention for its cost-effectiveness and open-source nature, positioning itself as a contrast to OpenAI’s and Google’s closed models.
Open source refers to the practice of sharing the source code of a programme, allowing developers to inspect, modify, and enhance it. While this fosters collaboration and innovation, it conflicts with the revenue-driven approach of private companies seeking to protect their intellectual property.
When asked whether DeepSeek’s emergence had influenced OpenAI’s future plans, Altman admitted it was a “very good model” and acknowledged that while OpenAI would continue to produce superior models, its competitive edge might narrow in the coming years.