The Rise of DeepSeek — A Cultural Advantage

I’ve attended numerous panels with some opposing views – some argue DeepSeek relies heavily on OpenAI data and lacks originality to surpass it, while others believe its open-source model will revolutionize the AI industry and challenge established giants. After reviewing research, interviews, and insights, here are my thoughts.

Deepseek the Open Source Model

DeepSeek, founded in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, is a Chinese AI startup that has rapidly shaken both the global AI landscape and China’s competitive AI app market. Its open-source large language models and efficient training methods have made advanced AI more accessible and affordable.

Notably, DeepSeek has overtaken ByteDance’s Doubao, which previously dominated China’s consumer AI space with nearly 10 million downloads. Through innovation and strategic partnerships, DeepSeek surpassed Doubao in downloads and engagement, disrupting the ongoing battle among Tencent’s Yuanbao, Alibaba’s Quark, and ByteDance’s Doubao. DeepSeek’s influence is also extending beyond China, rapidly growing not only within China but also internationally, topping app store charts in over 150 countries and gaining millions of users worldwide, marking a significant milestone. Its strategic partnerships with global cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud further support its global reach and adoption beyond China's landscape.

The cultural advantage

This AI competition reflects deeper cultural differences. The US traditionally favors closed-source models driven by private companies focused on market dominance and intellectual property, aligned with an individualistic culture emphasizing rapid innovation. In contrast, China’s collectivist culture and active government involvement promote open-source models like DeepSeek’s, aiming to serve national goals and foster broad AI education.

Together, these cultural factors influence the AI “war” beyond economics – shaping development models, innovation pathways, ethical frameworks, and global AI governance approaches. DeepSeek’s open-source disruption exemplifies how cultural differences can redefine competitive advantages and technological leadership in AI.