Bloomberg reporter Jackie Davalos discusses the meteoric rise of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup that has outpaced its U.S. counterparts. She reveals how its cost-effective models are shaking up tech stocks and raising alarms in the U.S. market. The conversation highlights the potential threats to American innovation and examines what this means for the future of AI development. Jackie also explores the political implications of this tech rivalry, spotlighting the delicate balance between technological progress and government oversight.
DeepSeek's rise as a cost-effective AI competitor challenges traditional funding strategies in the U.S. tech industry, prompting urgent reevaluation.
The significant market reaction to DeepSeek's success signals growing investor concerns about the future sustainability of American AI investments.
Deep dives
Emergence of DeepSeek
DeepSeek has rapidly emerged as a strong competitor in the AI sector, disrupting expectations with its innovative approach. Founded in 2023, the company has developed an AI model that boasts comparable performance to established giants like OpenAI and Google while operating at a fraction of the cost. Its training investment of approximately $6 million starkly contrasts with the billions spent by other tech companies, creating immediate skepticism about the long-term viability of traditional AI funding strategies. DeepSeek's open-source model further enhances its appeal, allowing developers to access and build on its technology, which has played a role in its swift rise to the top of app store charts.
Market Reaction and Investor Sentiment
The financial markets reacted dramatically to DeepSeek's success, with significant dips in valuations for leading U.S. tech stocks amid fears that the competitive landscape for AI might be shifting. NVIDIA, a key player in AI hardware, experienced a historic decline in its market cap, indicating investor anxiety regarding the sustainability of current AI investments given DeepSeek's cost-effective capabilities. This unexpected downturn raised urgent questions about the billions allocated to AI development by American firms, highlighting a growing concern that their strategies may not be justified in light of cheaper, efficient alternatives. Investors and analysts debated whether the current investment trends in AI are sustainable or if they need re-evaluation in response to emerging competitors like DeepSeek.
U.S. AI Industry's Competitive Edge Under Threat
The rise of DeepSeek poses a significant challenge to U.S. dominance in the AI industry, as it has achieved remarkable efficiency without reliance on high-powered chips, which have been a cornerstone of competitive AI development. As American policymakers grapple with concerns over national competitiveness, DeepSeek’s innovative model might inspire U.S. firms to reconsider their reliance on expensive, resource-intensive AI systems. This shift could prompt a reevaluation of budget strategies across the industry and lead to a more agile and innovative environment. While some view DeepSeek’s presence as a potential threat, others see it as an opportunity to drive creativity and efficiency, ultimately benefiting the overall AI landscape.
The AI chatbot from DeepSeek, a Chinese company, rocketed to the top of US app stores over the weekend — and sent US tech shares plummeting Monday morning. The US has been trying to choke off China’s access to cutting-edge AI chips, but DeepSeek claims it’s still managed to develop tech that rivals ChatGPT and its competitors at a fraction of the cost.
Today on the show, Bloomberg’s Jackie Davalos on what DeepSeek’s models can do, why they’ve sent tech stocks tumbling — and what kind of pressure they could put on the US AI industry.