Technology & Humanity
Five Things To Know About Chinese AI Startup DeepSeek
From Phys.org Technology · October 21, 2026
Founded in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, DeepSeek released its R1 large language model in January 2025, which industry insiders noted performed at levels similar to leading U.S. chatbots. The company utilizes open-source systems, a practice also shared by other Chinese tech firms like Alibaba. According to web traffic analysis company Similarweb, DeepSeek holds approximately 4% of the global chatbot market share.
Recent developments include a U.S. Department of Homeland Security order for government agencies to stop using DeepSeek tools due to data transfer concerns. While the Chinese foreign ministry opposed these restrictions, DeepSeek has already faced bans or restrictions on government devices in Australia and South Korea. Additionally, reports from The Information suggest the company may have used smuggled chips to train its V4 model, though Nvidia stated such claims seemed "farfetched" and DeepSeek previously noted the use of Nvidia and Huawei chips.
A factual summary prepared by The Quantum Disciple. The original report belongs to its publisher.