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Reuters World News

DeepSeek, Trump and Hegseth’s Pentagon and USAID

Jan 28, 2025
A Chinese AI startup, DeepSeek, is shaking up the tech landscape and impacting the stock market, particularly affecting NVIDIA. Meanwhile, the newly appointed Secretary of State, Pete Hegseth, is targeting diversity initiatives at the Pentagon. The Trump administration also stirs controversy by sidelining numerous senior officials at USAID, creating uncertainty in U.S. foreign aid policy. The podcast dives into these dynamic political and technological shifts and their implications for the U.S. in a rapidly changing global environment.
12:14

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • DeepSeek's AI advancements are shaking up the tech industry and stock markets, showcasing unprecedented competitiveness against established giants like OpenAI and Google.
  • Secretary Pete Hegseth's policies reflect a shift in Pentagon priorities, focusing on internal culture wars while imposing restrictions on U.S. foreign aid initiatives.

Deep dives

China's Disruption in AI Technology

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is creating significant upheaval in the technology sector, notably impacting U.S. stock markets. Its recent release of AI models that either meet or surpass the capabilities of established giants like OpenAI and Google has raised concerns about American competitiveness. Particularly, the V3 model emerged as a surprise, developed at a fraction of the cost—under $6 million—using lower-end NVIDIA chips, yet outperforming many high-profile alternatives. This has startled investors and industry leaders alike, who have been conditioned to believe that substantial financial investment is necessary for advancements in AI.

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