A Meteoric Rise That Shook Global Markets 📉
In an astonishing turn of events, DeepSeek R1, a newly launched AI, became the world’s most popular AI term for 24 hours on January 28, 2025. Within just eight days of its debut, it surpassed industry giants like ChatGPT, Llama, and Gemini in popularity, capturing massive attention. This surge caused massive volatility in the stock market, particularly affecting major players like Nvidia and ASML, with investors scrambling in fear of DeepSeek’s disruptive potential.
$600 Billion Loss: The DeepSeek Effect đź’Ą
The 24-hour dominance of DeepSeek led to a record-breaking stock market crash, with Nvidia experiencing an unprecedented $600 billion drop in its share price. Fearing the AI’s growing power, investors reacted swiftly, leading to billions in losses across various sectors.
DeepSeek’s Staying Power: Still Rising 🌍
Though DeepSeek’s reign as the top AI term has been short-lived, it now holds second place behind ChatGPT in most regions, while still dominating in Russia and China. Global daily visits to DeepSeek have doubled to 12.4 million, and its Google Play Store downloads have surpassed 10 million.
An AI Challenger on a Shoestring Budget đź’ˇ
What makes DeepSeek even more impressive is its remarkable efficiency. Despite being developed with a budget of just $6 million—minuscule compared to the billions spent by Nvidia, Google, and OpenAI—DeepSeek has managed to outperform ChatGPT in many key areas, challenging established AI players in the industry.
The Global Pushback: Bans and Concerns đźš«
As DeepSeek gains traction, countries are taking decisive actions to limit its reach. Taiwan has banned its use in government agencies and critical infrastructure, Italy has removed it from app stores, and the U.S. Navy has prohibited its personnel from using the app. Other nations, including South Korea, Ireland, France, Australia, and the Netherlands, are contemplating similar measures, citing privacy and national security concerns.
The rise of DeepSeek signifies both a breakthrough in AI technology and a growing geopolitical challenge. As its global influence continues to expand, it’s clear that this powerful AI will remain a hot topic for the foreseeable future.