TMTPOST -- 01.AI, the AI unicorn founded by Kai-Fu Lee, has become the latest company to integrate the groundbreaking AI model into its offerings.
PopAi, 01.AI’s AI application, is the first AI application developed by one of China's AI startups dubbed the "Big Model Little Tigers" to integrate DeepSeek, and may be the only one currently doing so.
As of Tuesday, over 70 companies across AI computing, cloud services, and AI applications—including Alibaba Cloud, Tencent Cloud, Baidu, Volcano Engine, Huawei, SenseTime and Moore Threads—have announced integrations or compatibility with DeepSeek’s models.
Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor and the country’s top telecom providers are incorporating DeepSeek’s AI model into their products, as more domestic companies seek to leverage the startup’s technological breakthrough.
Hebei-based Great Wall Motor, China’s first publicly listed automaker, confirmed to Reuters that it had integrated DeepSeek into its "Coffee Intelligence" connected vehicle system. The state-run Securities Times first reported this development on Sunday.
Meanwhile, China’s three largest telecom operators—China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom—are collaborating with the DeepSeek open-source model to "promote the widespread application of the latest AI technology."
DeepSeek’s AI platform, which has the potential to reshape the economics of the emerging AI industry, has fueled investor speculation about its broader impact on China's tech sector. The development has also sparked calls for a reevaluation of Chinese asset values.
In recent days, Chinese investors have rushed into AI-related stocks, driving up shares of domestic chipmakers, software firms, and data center operators. However, some companies that investors have linked to DeepSeek’s lower-cost model have issued statements clarifying that the AI integration has not yet significantly impacted their business.
Beijing-based Capitalonline Data Service, a cloud computing provider, disclosed to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange that it had deployed the DeepSeek-R1 model. Despite its stock surging 49% between Wednesday and Friday last week, the company cautioned that the business impact of the rollout remained uncertain.
Similarly, Shenzhen-based MeiG Smart Technology, which develops wireless data terminals for IoT devices, reported that while it was working on adapting DeepSeek-related models, the project was still in its early stages and had not yet generated new business. MeiG’s shares rose 33% over the same period.
A Bloomberg survey of seven AI industry experts estimated DeepSeek’s valuation to range from $1 billion to over $150 billion, with a median range of $2 billion to $30 billion.
Chanakya Ramdev, the founder of Canadian telecom company Sweat Free Telecom, went even further, predicting DeepSeek could be worth half of OpenAI’s $300 billion valuation, i.e. $150 billion. If true, Liang’s holdings could skyrocket to $126 billion.
Even with conservative estimates, DeepSeek’s valuation is already in the multi-billion-dollar range despite its limited revenue, said Rudina Seseri, the founding partner at Boston-based venture capital firm Glasswing Ventures.
Liang, 39, displayed exceptional mathematical capacity from an early age. He mastered high school-level math while still in junior high and later delved into university-level studies. After earning a graduate degree from Zhejiang University, he entered the field of quantitative trading in 2008 and founded High Flyer Quant in 2015. He owns 1% of DeepSeek’s parent company, Hangzhou DeepSeek AI Technology Research Institute, and indirectly controls 84.3% through various holding structures.
Last Friday evening, there were reports that Alibaba plans to invest US$1 billion to acquire a 10% stake in DeepSeek based on a valuation of $10 billion, and that both parties are currently discussing transaction details.
Yan Qiao, a vice president at Alibaba, responded on her WeChat Moments saying that Alibaba, as a fellow Hangzhou-based company, applauds DeepSeek, but the circulating rumors about Alibaba investing in DeepSeek are false.
DeepSeek's current valuation is about $8 billion, according to industry insiders. The rumors initially spread within investment circles and quantitative groups, attracting significant interest from several investment institutions.
Zhu Xiaohu, a managing partner at GSR Ventures, previously said that he would definitely invest if DeepSeek opens for financing. Zhu believes DeepSeek should remain open to financing because moving forward will require significant investment, particularly in computational resources like GPU cards.
For context, OpenAI-backed Anthropic is valued at $60 billion, while Mistral AI, founded by former Google and Meta researchers, is valued at $6 billion. In China, AI startup Zhipu AI recently secured a new round of funding at a pre-investment valuation of 20 billion yuan ($2.8 billion). DeepSeek, however, stands apart, with a valuation surpassing the combined worth of China’s "Big Model Little Tigers"—Baichuan Intelligence, Zhipu AI, Moonshot AI, MiniMax, 01.AI, and Stepfun AI.
Global investors are closely watching DeepSeek’s rise, with some predicting it could trigger a revaluation of Chinese tech assets.
DeepSeek has reignited international investor interest in Chinese technology, potentially narrowing the valuation gap between Chinese and Western tech firms, said Alex Au, general manager of Alphalex Capital in Hong Kong.
Just days after DeepSeek’s launch, Alibaba unveiled its latest AI model, claiming superior performance. Alibaba Cloud, which has already integrated DeepSeek’s model, saw its Hong Kong-listed shares surge 13% following the announcement.
Cloud service providers like Alibaba stand to benefit the most from the DeepSeek boom, Au added.
With DeepSeek offering more powerful yet cost-effective AI models, China is now well-positioned to scale AI adoption across industries, Au noted.
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