DeepSeek

DeepSeek is a Chinese AI lab that produces open-source language models with surprisingly strong performance, particularly in coding, mathematics, and reasoning. The DeepSeek-R1 model demonstrated that competitive AI capabilities can be achieved at a fraction of the training cost of Western models. The platform offers both a free chat interface and developer API access. The models are fully open-source and can be self-hosted, which appeals to organizations concerned about data privacy or wanting to avoid API dependencies. The API pricing significantly undercuts OpenAI and Anthropic. DeepSeek is notable for democratizing access to capable AI models. The trade-off involves geopolitical considerations — some organizations are cautious about using Chinese-developed AI for sensitive applications. For technical tasks like coding and mathematics, the models perform competitively with much more expensive alternatives.