Will “DeepSeek,” the new AI from China, be able to compete with its predecessor, GhatGPT
from the United States?
China has shaken the IT world by launching “DeepSeek,” an artificial intelligence (AI) app that has become the most downloaded app in the US on iOS overnight, surpassing its predecessor, ChatGPT, which has been around for almost 10 years.
In January 2025, China launched “DeepSeek”, an artificial intelligence (AI) with the ability to “reason” in an open source format, creating a huge sensation in the global IT industry. In just one night after its launch, the value of US technology companies lost more than 34 trillion baht, and the stock market was in turmoil.
As soon as “DeepSeek” was launched, the tech stock market was hit hard, with Nvidia shares falling 17%, ASML down 6%, and Nasdaq down more than 3%. This phenomenon has caused the global tech industry to question the United States overwhelmingly, such as: Is the United States’ artificial intelligence (AI) technology really leading the world? Which is better, the US’s open AI technology or China’s open source AI technology? And why is the investment in developing AI technology and why is the United States’ AI hundreds of times more expensive than China’s?
What is DeepSeek?
DeepSeek is an artificial intelligence (AI) technology founded in 2023 by a Chinese startup led by Liang Wenfeng, founder of an AI investment management company called High-Flyer, which is based in the same office as DeepSeek.
DeepSeek is a Chinese AI with the ability to analyze intelligent data, process natural language that understands and responds to human language accurately, answer questions, translate languages, compose stories, and write articles, similar to ChatGPT, an AI from the United States.
But the concern with DeepSeek is that it collects user data without their consent. Cybercriminals could use the technology to hack into systems, including providing false information on important topics such as medicine, law, finance, and security.
How is DeepSeek good? Why is it more popular than ChatGPT?
DeepSeek is considered an AI that is effective in analyzing data similar to ChatGPT. But what created a buzz in the world’s IT industry when DeepSeek was launched was that the amount of money and people used to develop artificial intelligence (AI) technology was several times less than ChatGPT.
ChatGPT is an AI technology from the United States that was founded in 2015, employing 4,500 people and investing as much as 168.5 billion baht per year because it had to develop a complex AI model. On the DeepSeek side, it only uses 200 people and invests only 190 million baht, hundreds of times less than the United States. In addition to using more people and investment than DeepSeek, ChatGPT also emits carbon dioxide (CO2), which is one of the causes of global warming, and uses more electricity.
In terms of investment and usage costs, DeepSeek’s CEO once said in an interview that the price will start at 35 baht per month, which is 10 times different from ChatGPT, and it also opens up opportunities for technology developers from all over the world to come and develop better artificial intelligence (AI).
Both AI models have their own advantages and disadvantages. In the end, whose model will win the hearts of people around the world more? We will have to wait and see.
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