Beyond Global Waves

This episode of Beyond Global Waves examines the geopolitical and economic disruption caused by China's DeepSeek AI. DeepSeek, a relatively new Chinese AI startup, has developed a highly capable, open-source AI model, R1, that rivals those of leading US tech firms like OpenAI, but at a fraction of the cost. This cost-effectiveness is achieved through innovative training methodologies and optimization techniques reducing the need for high-end hardware. The podcast will explore how this development is challenging the traditional, proprietary nature of AI development and how DeepSeek's open-source approach fosters a new kind of collaborative innovation, but it is also a marker in the US-China AI tech race.

The podcast also discusses the market reactions to DeepSeek's emergence, with a noticeable decline in the stock values of some US tech companies. This highlights that DeepSeek's technology is not just a scientific breakthrough, but also a major market disruptor. Beyond Global Waves will also investigate how the US is responding to this new challenge. The US has used export controls on advanced AI chips to restrict China's AI development, but DeepSeek's progress suggests that these may not be sufficient. The episode may ask whether a new US strategy that focuses on innovation and international collaboration is necessary for maintaining leadership in the AI domain.