Americans switch to Chinese AI as cheaper models challenge ChatGPT and Claude despite Trump crackdown

Americans are switching to Chinese AI models like Kimi and DeepSeek because they are cheaper and perform well for everyday tasks.

Mozilla CTO Raffi Krikorian uses Chinese AI startup Moonshot's Kimi K3 for daily tasks instead of Anthropic's Claude Fable chatbot.

US cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has started using Chinese AI models to reduce operating costs.

The Trump administration accused Moonshot of using 'distillation' methods to build Kimi K3 from Anthropic's Fable model, though not necessarily illegal.

Chinese AI models are gaining popularity among US developers despite US sanctions and potential further sanctions from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.