open source caught up because it's open

Proof is in the method honestly. Closed model labs need to constantly reinvent the wheel to keep lead. Open source has a bunch of independent labs practically working somewhat together. Eventually when everyone is just releasing weights and papers on how they did it the closed source secrets just get overrun by having plenty of very good secret sauces to the public.

That and NO DOUBT chinese labs are sharing internal secrets amongst each which explains how when any of them makes a big jump the others seem to follow almost immediately. If gemini/openai/anthropic put their heads together they'd have to compromise monopolies but they sure as hell wouldn't be struggling to keep the lead