DeepSeek disrupted the AI disruptors, but don't count out Big Tech just yet
DeepSeek's new model poses some serious questions about the assumptions behind AI investments. But what if that's a good thing for Big Tech?
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted to X toward the end of the most momentous day for AI since his company released ChatGPT in December 2022.
His message on Monday was a confirmation from AI’s hierarch that the disruptors had been disrupted.
“deepseek’s r1 is an impressive model, particularly around what they’re able to deliver for the price,” he wrote, a hat tip to a rival nobody saw coming as recently as a few weeks ago. “we will obviously deliver much better models and also it’s legit invigorating to have a new competitor! we will pull up some releases.”
DeepSeek, a suddenly popular Chinese AI model that upended U.S. markets Monday, shot to prominence in the last several days, with its AI assistant topping Apple’s App Store and inspiring reactions from President Donald Trump and tech’s top leaders.
The abrupt appearance of DeepSeek has rattled Silicon Valley in a way that Silicon Valley used to rattle everyone else. A handful of talented programmers operating out of China upended the assumptions that have dominated Big Tech regarding the future of AI — which to many in tech is the only future worth thinking about.
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