The Chinese AI app DeepSeek is making waves in the AI world, but how much is hype and how much really matters? AI is evolving fast, and as a leader, you need to find the right balance between staying the course and switching to the “latest and greatest”.
What do you know about this new Chinese AI app called DeepSeek that’s taking the AI world by storm?
DeepSeek, a new app similar to ChatGPT, became the #1 downloaded app on the App Store when it was launched recently. You might have heard about it in technology news, but it’s also in the mainstream media.
But how can we separate the hype from the reality?
Let’s talk about three things about DeepSeek, and also what it means for you as a leader.
1. China’s Growing AI Capabilities
The common wisdom was that China was lagging behind the USA in AI expertise and development. So it caught most people by surprise to see something as good as DeepSeek coming out of China.
But that assumption was wrong. It’s only surprising to most people because they are comparing it to, say, ChatGPT. But more broadly, China has been a leading force in AI for years – for example:
- Last year, they created the world’s first virtual AI hospital to advance medical procedures.
- They have been using AI to tackle climate change for many years.
- As far back as 2016, China set out to make an entire city that only allowed driverless cars.
So China has been at the leading edge of AI for a while. It just hasn’t been seen by most people until now.
2. Bias and Censorship Concerns
Another issue with DeepSeek is the possibility of bias and government censorship in DeepSeek’s results.
This is true! For example:
- If you ask it about Tiananmen Square, it doesn’t know (although some reports say that has changed).
- If you ask it about the sovereignty of Taiwan, it gives you the stock standard government response.
- If you ask it to make a joke about Xi Jinping, it says that would be rude.
So yes, DeepSeek has bias and censorship. But so do other AI tools!
For example, US president Donald Trump recently declared that the Gulf of Mexico was now going to be called the Gulf of America. For most of the world, that makes no difference (no one country can unilaterally rename an international body of water). But in the USA, Google has adjusted Google Maps so that – for US users only – it will apear as the Gulf of America.
Yes, this is also censorship. And it’s built into all the tools we use.
3. DeepSeek Is Faster And Cheaper
DeepSeek was developed with fewer resources than its competitors, and that surprised many people. It was cheaper to build, cheaper to train, and uses less energy to run. (In the ultimate irony, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, claims it has inappropriately used some of ChatGPT’s material in its training!)
But this is just a natural evolution of technology. All the other AI platforms and tools are also becoming cheaper and faster. DeepSeek isn’t leapfrogging other platforms; it just happens to be new.
What This Means for You as a Leader
When you hear news about DeepSeek, take it with a grain of salt. Some of the hype doesn’t match reality.
More importantly, what does this mean for you as a leader? In general, not much at all!
You should definitely know what’s around the corner, over the horizon, and maybe even just landed on your doorstep. But also assess it carefully, because not everything needs immediate action.
If you’re already using ChatGPT, Copilot, or some other AI tools, keep going! There’s no immediate need to switch to DeepSeek.
If you haven’t already started using AI, you should. And you should be having regular conversations with your team about using AI in the workplace – to help improve productivity, enhance the customer experience, and make better decisions faster.
Download my worksheet about having AI conversations with your team.