1. We're only barely getting started with free MOE models and Mistral has already impressed.
2. Cloud AI is a poor fit for corporate use at least in EU due to GDPR, the NIS directive and more. You really dont want to exit the EU in where the data processing takes place.
3. There are indications of diminishing returns in LLM performance, where a one year later shot at it from Google, despite massive resources in terms of both experts and data set, still doesn't have Gemini Pro clearly surpass GPT 3.5 and Ultra probably not GPT 4. Meanwhile, competition like Mistral is closing in.
4. The NY Times lawsuit seems like a harbinger for what is to become a theme for AI companies in 2024. Open collaborations are harder to target as legal entities and there is not nearly as much money to gain if you win.
All this points toward a a) convergence of performance that will b) be in the benefit of open models to me.
Interesting times anyway especially as we are STILL only getting started.