AI TRENDS | Nansen CEO Says Open-Weights Models May Increase Competition for Anthropic and OpenAI

Nansen CEO Alex Svanevik said open-weights models may create greater competitive pressure for Anthropic and OpenAI, arguing that not all tasks require frontier models. According to Odaily, Svanevik said many use cases can be handled by lower-capability models that cost about 90% less, which he described as sufficient for many scenarios and offering better cost performance. He said the AI industry has generally assumed profits would come from the most advanced frontier models, but he questioned whether that logic could be challenged, particularly if governments restrict frontier models or block access. Svanevik added that if regulation begins limiting frontier model capabilities or deployment, the industry may need to reassess whether business models that rely on high-end models for profit remain viable.