3 min. reading

Chinese DeepSeek Shakes Tech World

In a significant development for the tech and e-commerce sector, Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek has become the most downloaded free app on Apple's App Store, sending shock waves throughout the global tech market. The AI assistant, launched on January 20, has captured attention not only because of its capabilities but also because of its potential to change the dynamics of the current AI market.

Katarína Šimčíková Katarína Šimčíková
E-commerce Content Writer & EU Market Partnerships, Ecommerce Bridge EU
Chinese DeepSeek Shakes Tech World
Source: Depositphotos

What makes DeepSeek special is that it is, apparently, much cheaper. While industry leader OpenAI is reported to have spent more than $100 million on the development of GPT-4, DeepSeek developed its model from $6 million. This cost advantage was achieved by the use of high-end Nvidia A100 chips in combination with other relatively cheaper processors.

 Experts argue that this figure is misleading because it does not account for broader research and development costs, data acquisition, personnel expenses, infrastructure costs, and hardware investments.

Performance and Features

Just like ChatGPT, DeepSeek works by providing answers to questions, and it is comparable to the o1 model of OpenAI in mathematics and coding. It is a ‘reasoning’ model that thinks and responds as human beings do, making it particularly useful for business and customer service purposes.

Source: Artificial Analysis Graphic: Jasmine Cui and Joe Murphy / NBC News

Performance compared Source: Artificial Analysis Graphic: Jasmine Cui and Joe Murphy / NBC News

The system is particularly good at demonstrating its reasoning process in solving a problem by breaking down its reasoning process in steps. It can also, like a human solving a puzzle, trace back through its logic and correct earlier steps if needed.

This transparent approach enables users to know how it comes up with its recommendations.

DeepSeek Raises Ethical Concerns

DeepSeek’s rise in the AI landscape is raising important questions about the consequences of its technology, especially given that it was trained on the backbone of expensive hardware that may have been developed to break the US export controls.

While the performance of its R1 model, which is capable of replicating the functionality of OpenAI’s o1 but at a fraction of the cost, is impressive, it also reveals the possibility of unmonitored or unethical practices in the development of AI in the rest of the world.

The company’s capacity to successfully incorporate Nvidia A100 chips, which were previously restricted by US regulations, is a red flag on the authenticity of the company and how such technologies can be used to subvert the international order.

|

Moreover, the conformity of DeepSeek’s responses to sensitive historical events to the Chinese government censorship is worrying, as it shows that the model could be used to support state-controlled narratives, which could limit the usefulness and credibility of the model globally.

Thus, as markets respond to this perceived threat to American technological supremacy, the wider implications of DeepSeek’s strategy—innovative yet morally sound—need to be thoroughly analysed.

Share article
Katarína Šimčíková
E-commerce Content Writer & EU Market Partnerships, Ecommerce Bridge EU

Partnership Manager & E-commerce Content Writer with 10+ years of international experience. Former Groupon Team Lead. Connects European companies with Slovak and Czech markets through partnerships and content marketing.

Similar articles
Pinterest Unveils The Colour Palette For 2026
3 min. reading

Pinterest Unveils The Colour Palette For 2026

A shift away from neutrality and a return to bold emotional expression. Pinterest has released Pinterest Palette™ 2026, five trend-driven colours identified through the behaviour of more than 600 million users. The palette reflects how people want to feel, present themselves, and visually express identity in an increasingly chaotic world.

Katarína Šimčíková Katarína Šimčíková
E-commerce Content Writer & EU Market Partnerships, Ecommerce Bridge EU
Topshop Opens Dedicated EU Online Store in 23 Markets
2 min. reading

Topshop Opens Dedicated EU Online Store in 23 Markets

Topshop has launched a standalone European online store covering 23 EU countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The new site, built on Shopify, gives the brand a direct-to-consumer channel in Europe alongside its existing presence on ASOS. The move was reported by Retail Gazette.

Katarína Šimčíková Katarína Šimčíková
E-commerce Content Writer & EU Market Partnerships, Ecommerce Bridge EU
Customers Compare More Than Ever Before. In Online Retail, Trust Is What Wins
4 min. reading

Customers Compare More Than Ever Before. In Online Retail, Trust Is What Wins

Today’s customers compare more than ever before. In online retail, the winner is the one they trust. For a large share of customers, the online shopping journey now begins on marketplaces. However, new data shows that what ultimately drives a purchase decision is no longer mere presence on a platform but the ability to build […]

Veronika Slezáková Veronika Slezáková
Editor in Chief @ Ecommerce Bridge, Ecommerce Bridge