What is DeepSeek?
Founded by Liang Wenfeng in May 2023, the Chinese startup has challenged established AI companies with its open-source approach. According to Forbes, DeepSeek’s edge may lie in the fact that it is funded only by High-Flyer, a hedge fund also run by Wenfeng, which gives the company a funding model that supports fast growth and research.
What is DeepSeek R1?
Released in full on January 21st, R1 is DeepSeek’s flagship reasoning model, which performs at or above OpenAI’s lauded o1 model on several math, coding, and reasoning benchmarks. Built on V3 and based on Alibaba’s Qwen and Meta’s Llama, what makes R1 interesting is that, unlike most other top models from tech giants, it’s open source, meaning anyone can download and use it.
Privacy and Security Red Flags
Data privacy worries that have circulated on TikTok are also cropping up around DeepSeek. On Wednesday, Ivan Tsarynny, CEO of Feroot Security, told ABC that his firm had discovered "direct links to servers and to companies in China that are under control of the Chinese government," which he said they "have never seen in the past."
Safety Concerns
AI safety researchers have long been concerned that powerful open-source models could be applied in dangerous and unregulated ways once out in the wild. Tests by AI safety firm Chatterbox found DeepSeek R1 has "safety issues across the board."
Energy Efficiency Claims
Some analysts note that DeepSeek’s lower-lift compute model is more energy efficient than that of US AI giants. "DeepSeek’s new AI model likely does use less energy to train and run than larger competitors’ models," said Slattery. "However, I doubt this marks the start of a long-term trend in lower energy consumption."
How Will DeepSeek Affect the AI Industry?
R1’s success highlights a sea change in AI that could empower smaller labs and researchers to create competitive models and diversify the options. For example, organizations without the funding or staff of OpenAI can download R1 and fine-tune it to compete with models like o1.
Conclusion
DeepSeek’s ascent comes at a critical time for Chinese-American tech relations, just days after the long-fought TikTok ban went into partial effect. The US Navy has already banned DeepSeek, and lawmakers are trying to ban the app from all government devices.
FAQs
Q: What is DeepSeek?
A: DeepSeek is a Chinese AI startup that has challenged established AI companies with its open-source approach.
Q: What is DeepSeek R1?
A: DeepSeek R1 is the company’s flagship reasoning model, which performs at or above OpenAI’s lauded o1 model on several math, coding, and reasoning benchmarks.
Q: Are there privacy concerns with DeepSeek?
A: Yes, there are concerns about data privacy and security with DeepSeek, including direct links to servers and companies in China that are under control of the Chinese government.
Q: Are there safety concerns with DeepSeek?
A: Yes, AI safety researchers have long been concerned that powerful open-source models could be applied in dangerous and unregulated ways once out in the wild.
Q: Is DeepSeek’s energy efficiency a game-changer?
A: Some analysts note that DeepSeek’s lower-lift compute model is more energy efficient than that of US AI giants, but it’s unclear if this marks the start of a long-term trend in lower energy consumption.
Q: How will DeepSeek affect the AI industry?
A: DeepSeek’s success highlights a sea change in AI that could empower smaller labs and researchers to create competitive models and diversify the options.
