DeepSeek is making waves again. The Chinese AI disruptor just slashed API prices by up to 75% during off-peak hours, turning up the heat on rivals like OpenAI and Google (NASDAQ:GOOG). By offering AI access at a fraction of the cost, DeepSeek is forcing the industry's biggest players to rethink their pricing models. The impact is already showing. Since the company launched its AI assistant in January, Chinese tech stocks have surged, with investors betting on DeepSeek's ability to challenge incumbents despite U.S. chip restrictions.
The demand is undeniable. DeepSeek's models are now powering companies from Tencent (TCEHY) to Perplexity AI, while government agencies in Hong Kong are also adopting its tech. And it's not slowing down. After temporarily pausing new account top-ups due to overwhelming demand, DeepSeek reopened API credits this week, though it warned of capacity constraints during peak hours. Now, it's doubling down with an accelerated release of its R2 modelmonths ahead of schedule. With its open-source push and relentless cost-cutting, DeepSeek is positioning itself as the AI provider of choice for businesses looking to scale without breaking the bank.
For investors, this is a major turning point. DeepSeek's price war could squeeze margins for AI leaders, but it could also fuel mass adoption, expanding the overall market. The real question is whether these aggressive discounts are sustainable or if they'll pressure competitors into making moves of their own. Either way, DeepSeek is forcing a reckoning in AI economicsand Wall Street is paying close attention.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.免責聲明：投資有風險，本文並非投資建議，以上內容不應被視為任何金融產品的購買或出售要約、建議或邀請，作者或其他用戶的任何相關討論、評論或帖子也不應被視為此類內容。本文僅供一般參考，不考慮您的個人投資目標、財務狀況或需求。TTM對信息的準確性和完整性不承擔任何責任或保證，投資者應自行研究並在投資前尋求專業建議。