This Chinese AI startup, DeepSeek, is flipping the script on global tech—and it's coming for OpenAI's crown.

What is DeepSeek?
DeepSeek is a free AI chatbot that's going head-to-head with OpenAI's ChatGPT. It can answer questions, write essays, and even code. Basically, your new AI best friend. But here's the wild part: while OpenAI's GPT-4 cost over $100 million to develop, DeepSeek's latest model, DeepSeek-R1, was trained for just $6 million!

How'd they pull it off?
DeepSeek managed to bypass U.S. chip export restrictions by using Nvidia's A100 chips and other cheaper alternatives. The result? A high-performance AI that's also more affordable to run.

Who's behind it?
DeepSeek was founded in December 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, an entrepreneur with a background in both computer science and finance. He previously ran a hedge fund, High-Flyer, which uses AI for quantitative trading.

App store domination
DeepSeek launched in the U.S. and immediately became the TOP 1 free app on the Apple App Store! But it wasn't all smooth sailing—they faced massive cyberattacks and had to limit registrations. Still, their growth is off the charts.

Why DeepSeek is making waves?
DeepSeek is proving that you don’t need a massive budget or cutting-edge hardware to create groundbreaking AI. This has shaken up the industry. Nvidia's stock dropped, losing billions in market value, as investors begin to question whether expensive chips are really necessary for AI.

Controversies & Scrutiny
DeepSeek is facing global backlash. Australia has banned the app from government devices over security concerns, while Italy blocked it over data privacy issues. Since DeepSeek stores data on servers in China, there are fears about surveillance and data misuse.

Conclusion
DeepSeek's rapid rise marks a significant moment in the global AI race. With its low-cost, high-performance AI, the company is challenging U.S. giants like Nvidia and OpenAI. As China pushes for self-reliance, DeepSeek could be the start of a new era in the global AI landscape.