Deepseek: The quiet giant leading China’s AI race

Author

Noel Moldvai
January 02, 2025

TL;DR

  • Deepseek: The quiet giant leading China’s AI race

  • Google CEO says AI model Gemini will be the company’s ‘biggest focus’ in 2025

  • Putin orders Russian government and top bank to develop AI cooperation with China

  • A TikTok ban looms. Creators say they’ll believe it when they see it.

Deepseek: The quiet giant leading China’s AI race

DeepSeek, funded by hedge fund High-Flyer, is disrupting China's AI scene with innovative model architecture, open-source strategy, and affordable API pricing, triggering industry-wide price wars. Focused on foundational technology and AGI, it avoids commercialization, leveraging young domestic talent. Its breakthroughs have positioned it as a rare Chinese contributor to global AI innovation.

Google CEO says AI model Gemini will be the company’s ‘biggest focus’ in 2025

Google CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized 2025 as a pivotal year, urging faster action to close AI gaps and establish leadership. At a strategy meeting, Pichai highlighted scaling the Gemini AI model as the top priority, acknowledging challenges amid high stakes in AI investments and competition.

Putin orders Russian government and top bank to develop AI cooperation with China

President Vladimir Putin directed Russia’s government and Sberbank to enhance AI collaboration with China amid Western sanctions restricting technology access. Highlighting AI as a strategic priority, Russia aims to challenge U.S. dominance through alliances with BRICS nations, despite lagging in global AI rankings and facing hardware limitations like GPU shortages.

A TikTok ban looms. Creators say they’ll believe it when they see it.

Despite a looming TikTok ban, many creators, advertisers, and users remain skeptical, continuing business as usual. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Jan. 10, with a ban potentially starting Jan. 19. While some creators prepare for alternatives, others trust TikTok’s resilience, noting its significant role in their livelihoods and advertising strategies.

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Until next week!

Cheerio,
-Noel

These updates are for informational purposes only and do not represent an endorsement or investment recommendation by  Augment Capital, LLC. Augment Markets, Inc. is a technology company offering software and data services, in addition to financial products and services through its wholly-owned but separately managed subsidiary, Augment Capital, LLC. Securities products are offered through Augment Capital, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC.