MBZUAI Unveils K2 Think AI Model to Rival OpenAI, DeepSeek

 

The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in the United Arab Emirates has announced the release of K2 Think, its latest artificial intelligence model designed to rival global leaders such as OpenAI and China’s DeepSeek.

Developed in collaboration with local AI powerhouse G42, K2 Think is based on Alibaba’s open-source Qwen 2.5 model and was trained and tested using advanced hardware from US chipmaker Cerebras.

With 32 billion parameters, K2 Think is significantly smaller than DeepSeek’s 671 billion–parameter R1 model and the undisclosed but large-scale systems from OpenAI.

Key Highlights

• MBZUAI launches K2 Think with 32B parameters, built on Qwen 2.5
• Model matches OpenAI and DeepSeek on math, coding, and science
• Developed with G42 and tested using Cerebras AI hardware

Despite its smaller size, MBZUAI researchers claim that K2 Think delivers comparable performance on key benchmarks related to mathematics, coding, and scientific reasoning. This positions the model as a highly efficient alternative, optimized for advanced problem-solving without requiring the massive computational resources of larger models.

The launch of K2 Think underscores MBZUAI’s ambition to place the UAE at the forefront of the global AI race, combining regional innovation with international collaboration. It also highlights a growing trend toward lightweight but high-performing AI systems, which could prove more scalable and cost-effective for enterprises and governments worldwide.

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By leveraging G42’s expertise and Cerebras’ specialized hardware, MBZUAI is advancing its role as a hub for AI research and application, marking a significant milestone for the Middle East in global technology leadership.