Abu Dhabi launches low-cost AI reasoning model in challenge to OpenAI, DeepSeek

The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has launched a new AI reasoning model called K2 Think. This low-cost model aims to compete with OpenAI and DeepSeek. K2 Think features 32 billion parameters, significantly smaller than DeepSeek's R1, which has 671 billion.

Developed with G42, K2 Think matches the performance of leading models despite its size. The technology incorporates methods like step-by-step reasoning and test-time scaling for enhanced performance.

MBZUAI emphasizes that K2 Think targets specialized mathematical and scientific tasks rather than general chat applications. They believe their model can expedite complex problem-solving processes.