Chinese startup DeepSeek has quickly become a game-changer in the world of AI-powered search. Using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, DeepSeek aims to transform how people access large amounts of digital data. Its ultimate goal is to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI), a type of intelligence that could match or even surpass human capabilities. No technology has yet achieved AGI.
The Power of Open Research and Open Source
Yann LeCun, Meta’s AI Chief, said in a LinkedIn post:
“DeepSeek has profited from open research and open source. They came up with new ideas and built them on top of other people’s work. Because their work is published and open source, everyone can profit from it. That is the power of open research and open source.”
Rapid Growth and Popularity
In just a short time, DeepSeek AI has captured the public’s imagination. As of Monday, January 27, the platform became the most downloaded free app on the U.S. App Store, sending shockwaves through the tech industry.
A More Affordable AI Alternative
Despite its rapid success, DeepSeek has managed to develop its technology at a fraction of the cost of other leading AI models. This low-cost approach has disrupted the AI landscape, showing that powerful AI systems don’t have to come with sky-high price tags.
It was founded in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, the co-founder of the High-Flyer hedge fund. With its low-cost, high-performance solutions, the startup has quickly established itself as a serious competitor to more established players in the AI space.
The Environmental Impact of AI
AI technologies, including DeepSeek, come with their own environmental footprint. Training AI models and running data centres requires massive amounts of energy and water to cool the systems. A single question to ChatGPT uses a lot more energy than a common Google search. We do not yet know DeepSeek’s exact environmental impact, but it is believed that the platform uses considerably less energy and resources than other AI systems, making it more environmentally friendly.
A Shake-Up in the AI Market
DeepSeek’s success has shaken up established tech giants. Nvidia, the leading chipmaker, saw its market value drop by almost $600 billion, the biggest loss in U.S. stock market history. This put pressure on the stock prices of other major players in the tech industry, including Meta, Microsoft, and Alphabet.
Investors are questioning whether these tech giants are still worth the high prices at which they’re trading. With DeepSeek providing an effective and affordable alternative, the established players face growing competition, forcing them to reconsider their strategies and pricing models.
What’s Next for DeepSeek?
Whether it’s in e-commerce, healthcare, or education, DeepSeek’s transformative AI is already changing how we access information. As the company pushes towards its goal of developing AGI, the world will be watching closely to see if this startup can achieve what others have only dreamed of.
