UAE launches new low-cost AI model, challenging OpenAI and DeepSeek. Meet K2 Think

The UAE’s MBZUAI unveiled K2 Think, a compact, low-cost reasoning AI model that performs on par with larger systems from OpenAI and DeepSeek. It integrates chain-of-thought fine-tuning and reinforcement learning for logical depth.

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi revealed K2 Think, a cost-efficient reasoning AI aiming to rival leading models from OpenAI and DeepSeek.

Though smaller in parameter count, researchers claim its performance matches those flagship systems. It employs long chain-of-thought supervised fine-tuning to deepen logical reasoning, followed by reinforcement learning with verifiable rewards to sharpen accuracy on difficult problems.

Designed as a continuously improving system rather than a static release, K2 Think runs at a speed of roughly 2,000 tokens per second, or about 1,500 words.

UAE