ASML Holding NV, a key supplier of equipment for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, saw its stock plunge over 5% in pre-market trading on Monday. This steep decline comes amid reports that Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has developed powerful large language models at a fraction of the cost compared to major US tech firms, raising concerns over future demand for high-end AI chips and hardware.
DeepSeek claimed that its latest AI model, DeepSeek-R1, matches the performance of OpenAI's flagship model while costing only 5% as much to develop. If accurate, such low-cost AI models could potentially undermine the need for the most advanced and expensive chips required by leading AI companies like Nvidia, Google, and Microsoft.
ASML plays a critical role in the semiconductor supply chain as the sole provider of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems, which are essential for manufacturing the most advanced chips with transistors below 10 nanometers. As AI applications drive demand for ever-more powerful processors, ASML's cutting-edge equipment has become increasingly important for major chipmakers looking to stay at the forefront of performance and efficiency.
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