The video examines the legitimacy of DeepSeek, an underground Chinese AI lab, addressing allegations regarding its GPU claims, data practices, and research intentions, ultimately defending its operations as transparent and innovative. It emphasizes that DeepSeek’s advancements in AI technology are based on their own research and open-source contributions, rather than theft or unethical practices.
The video discusses the legitimacy of DeepSeek, an underground Chinese AI lab, in light of recent controversies and allegations surrounding its operations. Following the announcement of DeepSeek’s R1 model, the U.S. stock market experienced a significant crash, particularly affecting Nvidia, which raised questions about DeepSeek’s capabilities and practices. The video aims to clarify three main points regarding DeepSeek’s GPU claims, training costs, and the nature of its research, while also addressing various miscellaneous concerns.
The first major point revolves around the GPU count claimed by DeepSeek. Alexander Wang, CEO of Scale AI, accused DeepSeek of possessing 50,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs, which would violate U.S. export controls. However, the video suggests that this figure may stem from a misunderstanding, as DeepSeek likely has H800 GPUs, which are not subject to the same restrictions. The video emphasizes that DeepSeek’s claims about their GPU usage and training costs are plausible, and the $6 million figure often cited refers to the cost of a single successful training run, not the total expenses incurred.
The second point addresses allegations of data theft, particularly concerning the distillation process, where one AI model learns from another. Critics, including U.S. AI and crypto SAR David Saxs, suggest that DeepSeek may have distilled knowledge from OpenAI’s models. However, the video argues that DeepSeek’s reasoning capabilities emerged from their own reinforcement learning processes, and the data used for training was not stolen but rather synthesized from their previous models. The video asserts that DeepSeek has been transparent about their data sources and has not violated any intellectual property rights.
The third point clarifies that DeepSeek is not merely a side project but a serious endeavor with a vision to advance AI technology for the benefit of all. The researchers behind DeepSeek have built upon open-source work and have been publishing significant research over the past few years. The video highlights that DeepSeek’s achievements are a culmination of their ongoing efforts and that their mission aligns with the broader goal of making AI advancements accessible rather than focusing solely on profit.
Lastly, the video addresses various miscellaneous concerns, including fears about data security and the potential for DeepSeek to disrupt the AI landscape. It suggests that while some may worry about using DeepSeek’s models due to their origin, there are options for hosting and running the models locally. The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of open-source research in driving innovation and competition in the AI field, suggesting that DeepSeek’s success could inspire further advancements from other AI labs, including those in the U.S.