DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup founded by Liang Wenfeng, has rapidly gained attention in the global AI landscape with its powerful open-source large language model, DeepSeek-R1, launched on January 20, 2025. Unlike Western competitors like OpenAI, which invest hundreds of millions, DeepSeek developed its model with only $6 million budget and a team of 200, showcasing significant efficiency in training processes. The model employs an innovative Mixture-of-Experts system that activates only a portion of its numerous parameters for each task, enhancing computational efficiency. In a market increasingly skeptical of data privacy, DeepSeek faces criticism for its data collection practices, especially since user data is stored on Chinese servers. Despite the criticisms, many in the tech community view DeepSeek's success as a significant challenge to Western tech giants, prompting conversations about the future of AI innovation and competition. However, concerns persist over potential misuse of user data and the ethical implications of a non-U.S. company leading the charge in this rapidly evolving sector.

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