Elon Musk Seemingly Admits xAI Has Used OpenAI’s Models to Train Its Own
Elon Musk Seemingly Admits xAI Has Used OpenAI’s Models to Train Its Own
埃隆·马斯克似乎承认 xAI 曾使用 OpenAI 的模型来训练自家模型
While testifying on Thursday in federal court, Elon Musk seemed to indicate that his AI lab may have used OpenAI’s models to train xAI’s own. He touched upon the topic while sitting on the witness stand answering cross-examination questions from an OpenAI attorney amid his ongoing legal battle against the ChatGPT-maker.
周四在联邦法院作证时，埃隆·马斯克似乎暗示他的 AI 实验室可能曾使用 OpenAI 的模型来训练 xAI 的模型。在针对 ChatGPT 开发商 OpenAI 的持续法律诉讼中，马斯克在证人席上回答 OpenAI 律师的交叉询问时触及了这一话题。
This is the exchange, as best as WIRED could capture it: OpenAI Lawyer William Savitt: Do you know what distillation is? Musk: It means to use one AI model to train another AI model. Savitt: Has xAI done that with OpenAI? Musk: Generally all the AI companies [do that]. Savitt: So that’s a yes. Musk: Partly.
以下是《连线》（WIRED）记录下的对话内容： OpenAI 律师 William Savitt：你知道什么是“蒸馏”（distillation）吗？ 马斯克：这意味着使用一个 AI 模型来训练另一个 AI 模型。 Savitt：xAI 是否曾对 OpenAI 的模型这样做过？ 马斯克：通常所有的 AI 公司都会这样做。 Savitt：所以答案是肯定的。 马斯克：部分是。
Distillation is a technique where a smaller AI model is trained to mimic the behavior of a larger, more capable model, making it cheaper and faster to run while preserving much of its performance.
“蒸馏”是一种技术，通过训练较小的 AI 模型来模仿更大、能力更强的模型的行为，从而在保持大部分性能的同时，使其运行成本更低、速度更快。
OpenAI’s lawyer, William Savitt, then asked whether OpenAI’s technology had been used in any way to develop xAI. Savitt: Has OpenAI technology been used in any way to develop xAI? Musk: It is standard practice to use other AIs to validate your AI.
OpenAI 的律师 William Savitt 随后询问 OpenAI 的技术是否以任何方式被用于开发 xAI。 Savitt：OpenAI 的技术是否以任何方式被用于开发 xAI？ 马斯克：使用其他 AI 来验证自己的 AI 是行业标准做法。
OpenAI and xAI did not immediately respond to WIRED’s request for comment.
OpenAI 和 xAI 没有立即回应《连线》的置评请求。
OpenAI has been trying to prevent its competitors from distilling its AI models, in particular, the Chinese AI lab DeepSeek. In a February 2026 memo to a House committee, OpenAI wrote that it has “taken steps to protect and harden our models against distillation.” In that memo, OpenAI said it was focused on ensuring a playing field in which “China can’t advance autocratic AI by appropriating and repackaging American innovation.”
OpenAI 一直在试图阻止竞争对手对其 AI 模型进行“蒸馏”，特别是中国的 AI 实验室 DeepSeek。在 2026 年 2 月提交给众议院委员会的一份备忘录中，OpenAI 写道，它已“采取措施保护并强化我们的模型，以防止被蒸馏”。在该备忘录中，OpenAI 表示其重点是确保一个公平的竞争环境，使“中国无法通过挪用和重新包装美国的创新成果来推进其专制 AI 的发展”。
The Trump administration has also taken steps to prevent Chinese companies from distilling American AI models. Michael Kratsios, the White House’s director of the office of science and technology policy, said in an April 2026 memo that it would share information with US AI companies about foreign distillation. Kratsios said in a post on X that the “US government is committed to the free and fair development of AI technologies across a competitive ecosystem.”
特朗普政府也已采取措施，防止中国公司对美国 AI 模型进行“蒸馏”。白宫科技政策办公室主任迈克尔·克拉齐奥斯（Michael Kratsios）在 2026 年 4 月的一份备忘录中表示，政府将与美国 AI 公司分享有关外国“蒸馏”行为的信息。克拉齐奥斯在 X 上发文称，“美国政府致力于在竞争激烈的生态系统中，实现 AI 技术的自由与公平发展。”
American AI labs have used each other’s AI models in other ways, to test progress and assess safety. But in today’s competitive landscape, some AI companies have completely cut off rival labs. In August 2025, Anthropic blocked OpenAI’s access to its Claude coding models after the company alleged that its terms of service had been violated. More recently, Anthropic cut off xAI from using its AI models for coding as well.
美国的 AI 实验室曾以其他方式使用彼此的 AI 模型，以测试进展并评估安全性。但在当今的竞争格局下，一些 AI 公司已经完全切断了与竞争对手实验室的联系。2025 年 8 月，在指控 OpenAI 违反其服务条款后，Anthropic 封锁了 OpenAI 对其 Claude 编码模型的访问权限。最近，Anthropic 也切断了 xAI 使用其 AI 模型进行编码的权限。
In his multiday cross-examination of Musk, Savitt has questioned Musk about his attempts to assume control of OpenAI and, subsequently, his quest to beat the ChatGPT-maker. On Wednesday, Savitt presented emails and texts from 2017 to support a line of questions as to whether Musk squeezed OpenAI by withholding funding and hiring away key researchers.
在对马斯克进行为期数日的交叉询问中，Savitt 质疑了马斯克试图接管 OpenAI 的企图，以及随后他想要击败这家 ChatGPT 开发商的追求。周三，Savitt 展示了 2017 年的电子邮件和短信，以支持其关于马斯克是否通过扣留资金和挖走关键研究人员来挤压 OpenAI 的质询。