Big Take Who Is the Mysterious Founder of China’s DeepSeek?
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May 22, 2025 
Saritha Rai, a Bloomberg journalist specializing in AI in Asia, dives into the enigmatic world of Liang Wenfeng, founder of DeepSeek. She reveals his journey from hedge fund manager to AI pioneer and discusses the company's role in China's tech landscape. The conversation touches on the global AI race, innovation strategies in the face of U.S. export controls, and how China's AI advancements are challenging Western paradigms. Rai also highlights the transformative impact of AI on various industries, urging listeners to rethink the future of their own businesses.
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Liang's Hedge Fund Beginnings
- Liang Wenfeng co-founded a quantitative hedge fund, High Flyer Management, with strong returns and significant assets.
- The fund employed math and coding experts, developing programs even during the financial crisis.
High Flyer's Geek Culture
- High Flyer had a geeky, startup-like culture with influences from The Big Bang Theory.
- The workplace included free snacks, poker nights, and casual dress, unlike typical big Chinese tech firms.
DeepSeek's Efficient AI Breakthrough
- DeepSeek's R1 AI model matched or surpassed leading Western AI models with far less computational resources.
- This challenged industry norms that required heavy investment in infrastructure and capital for AI breakthroughs.