Moonshot AI is preparing to release its next-generation Kimi model, Kimi 3, which is expected to perform at par with or even surpass Anthropic’s Opus 4.8, according to a report by Financial Times. The model is anticipated to be the largest open-weight AI model from China, with a parameter count between 2 trillion and 3 trillion, and is set to be released in the coming days. Moonshot’s current Kimi K2 models have already gained traction in the open-source AI market, ranking highly on benchmarks and showing capabilities close to those of the latest frontier models. The company is also raising fresh capital in a round that would value it at $31.5 billion, following a $2 billion raise in May at a $20 billion valuation.
Industry leaders are increasingly questioning the value of paying AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic for their closed-source models, as concerns grow about data extraction practices. Executives are promoting their own products as alternatives or advising companies to use cheaper open-source models, such as those from DeepSeek, Z.ai, or Moonshot, and train them in-house. This shift reflects a broader debate over the cost and transparency of proprietary AI systems versus open-source alternatives.
Moonshot’s Kimi 3 represents a significant step in the company’s strategy to compete with closed-source models from major players like OpenAI and Anthropic. The release comes amid growing industry discussions about the ethical and economic implications of data usage in AI development. The company’s focus on open-source models aligns with a trend toward greater transparency and cost efficiency in the AI landscape.
Source: techcrunch
