What China’s DeepSeek AI Really Means for the Future of Global Power

Behind the open-source facade, DeepSeek R1 is more than just a technological marvel—it’s a geopolitical weapon.

TL;DR: China’s recently released DeepSeek R1 AI model, with its unprecedented 671 billion parameters and drastically lower costs, is shaking the foundations of Western dominance in the global AI race. Released under an open-source license, it claims to rival and even outperform Western models like OpenAI’s latest offerings. However, beneath its promise of accessibility and innovation lies a deeper geopolitical agenda. As it disrupts Western dominance with unmatched scalability and low costs, this AI model serves as a Trojan horse for influence, propaganda, and control, raising urgent questions about the future of global power and humanity’s autonomy.

The future of humanity isn't being squabbled over in the dusty fields of Eastern Europe or the contested waters of the Taiwan Strait; no, the real war is waging in the sterile, neon-lit halls of data centers and the minds of tech gurus who claim they're building “the physical and virtual infrastructure to power the next generation of Artificial Intelligence.”

This is no gentleman's duel; it's a no-holds-barred, scorched-earth conflict where the casualties are not just lines of code or data points but potentially our autonomy and ethical standards. The media, with their heads buried in sand, prefer to ignore these cataclysmic shifts, focusing instead on transient political dramas.

But when President Trump, in his typical grandiose style, announced a $500 billion AI boondoggle named Stargate, right on the heels of China unveiling DeepSeek R1—a Large Language Model that supposedly outstrips Western tech in every conceivable metric—it was a wake-up call. For humanity, this is a race to the bottom where neither side can afford to play nice, and the stakes are nothing less than global control through technology.

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While the West, especially Europe, talks about ethics and regulation, China laughs, undercuts, and moves at lightning speed. The so-called “free” access to AI technology? It's a trojan horse, an insidious way to spread influence under the guise of innovation.

The economic theory here is clear: monopolies and market dominance are being challenged not by superior service or ethics, but by sheer, ruthless pragmatism. However, no one had you in mind when creating this. As you will see, this is simply about who gets to dictate the rules of the digital world. And if you think these tech giants or governments care about anything but their bottom line or geopolitical chess moves, you're living in a fantasy. The real battle is for control and propaganda, not for the betterment of mankind.

DeepSeek represents a significant advancement in scaling and efficiency, potentially altering expectations about the amount of power and computing needed for the AI revolution.

This model demonstrates that there are alternative, less expensive methods to train foundational AI, potentially making AI applications more accessible and economically viable. China's DeepSeek might just have shaken up the economics of AI, according to Forex Live.

Imagine the chaos among the tech moguls in Western capitals. AI was their ticket to cementing control over society, a tool for oligarchic dominance into the next century. But now, with China's DeepSeek disrupting the status quo, these elites are facing a problem they might not solve easily. The sanctions on microchips were supposed to give the West a decade-long head start, yet here we are, with China back in the game, leaving tech giants struggling for breath.

China's leap in tech isn't surprising. The U.S. led in 60 out of 64 technologies between 2003 and 2007. Fast forward to 2022, and China's now ahead in 52 out of 64.

“China now leads the world in many of the most critical future technologies. The success of its commercial entities in telecommunications, electric vehicles, battery technology, and photovoltaics is directly attributable to its R&D capabilities. Similarly, the modernization of the Chinese military relies on the extensive technological development by its scientific community and industrial base. With its lead in science and technology research, China is set to outcompete the U.S. in both economic and military realms in the years to come.”—Ron Unz

The release of DeepSeek's R1 model shouldn't shock anyone, though the timing—right before Trump's Stargate announcement—clearly shows China's readiness to disrupt Washington's plans when it aligns with their regional ambitions.

Last Monday, DeepSeek unveiled its R1 model family under an open MIT license, boasting a massive 671 billion parameters in its largest configuration. They claim this model matches the performance of OpenAI's o1 on various math and coding benchmarks.

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This has thrown the AI community into a buzz, as most open-weights models have traditionally trailed behind proprietary ones like OpenAI's o1 in reasoning tasks.

The R1 model deviates from the norm for large language models by attempting to replicate human-like reasoning processes. This approach, known as “simulated reasoning” or SR, was popularized with OpenAI's o1 launch in September 2024.

According to DeepSeek, R1 has bested OpenAI's o1 in several key areas, excelling in AIME (American Invitational Mathematics Examination), MATH-500 (Graduate-Level Mathematics), and SWE (Software Engineering)-bench Verified tests.

TechCrunch noted that alongside DeepSeek, two other Chinese labs, Alibaba and Moonshot AI's Kimi, have now introduced models purportedly on par with OpenAI's o1, with DeepSeek having given a sneak peek of R1 back in November. As Ars Technica pointed out, this “cutting-edge Chinese 'reasoning' model rivals OpenAI o1—and it's free to download.”

This development is monumental. The U.S. has been pushing to lead in this pivotal technology, yet here comes China with a model that's not only as competent as the best American systems but also cheaper, more accessible, and open. What's not to like?

For starters, it’s abundantly clear that China's AI model isn't more intelligent or “more free” than OpenAI's; it's just been steeped in the propaganda of its government's perspectives. There's no neutrality, no impartiality, no freedom from censorship here - it's merely less expensive to operate and a convenient tool for spreading propaganda to the West.

DeepSeek having an existential crisis.

Let's temporarily put these concerns on the back burner and focus on the concrete, beneficial uses of AI that go beyond the trivial task of confirming personal conspiracy theories, which often seems to be the highest priority for a majority of people on this platform.

AI has the potential to revolutionize numerous sectors in ways that genuinely enhance our lives. If you believe otherwise, you might as well return to the cave, cancel your electricity and water services, and shun all modern conveniences. But this potential is only realized when AI isn't being abused for political bickering or to push questionable geopolitical agendas.

Most people are probably oblivious to just how disruptive China's DeepSeek has been for OpenAI. They've crafted a model, R1, that not only matches but exceeds their latest o1 in a variety of benchmarks, and they're offering it at a jaw-dropping 3% of the price. Imagine this scenario: it's like someone has launched a smartphone that's just as good as the iPhone, but instead of $1000, it's only $30. That's how dramatic this is.

But there's a twist: DeepSeek's R1 is open-source, unlike most of OpenAI's tech, which remains under tight proprietary control. This open-source approach means that the code for R1 is out there for anyone to inspect, modify, or distribute as they please. This level of transparency and community involvement is something OpenAI doesn't provide, meaning users aren't locked into using an API and can run the model on their own hardware for the cost of electricity alone.

For those currently paying through the nose for OpenAI's services, this development must be rattling. It's natural to start questioning the value proposition: “Why am I paying 30 times more for something that's arguably not as good or versatile?” Political biases aside, this is a transformative event that fundamentally upends the economic model of the AI market.

So, it looks like the game has undergone a major overhaul. All because of a Chinese company that's turned U.S. tech restrictions into a catalyst for innovation. By being forced to innovate around these restrictions, they've created a more streamlined solution which they're now sharing with the world at a minuscule fraction of OpenAI's prices. As the adage goes, sometimes intense pressure can yield spectacular results—like diamonds.

DeepSeek offers not just cost efficiency but also promotes a collaborative environment where developers from around the globe can contribute to its evolution. This contrasts sharply with OpenAI's approach, where much of the technology is kept under wraps, with only selective parts made open-source. This openness could lead to rapid advancements and applications that were previously cost-prohibitive, potentially democratizing AI technology in ways we haven't seen before.

Get the picture yet? Every strategy the U.S. has employed to stifle China's growth—economic sanctions, chip embargoes, military posturing, political meddling, and the downright petty arrest of a Huawei executive—has spectacularly backfired.

China's brain trust, a force of well-educated, driven, and tech-savvy individuals, has responded by developing an AI model that not only rivals but often exceeds Western offerings, all while costing a fraction and being shared openly. With DeepSeek's R1, users aren't just passive recipients; they're part of the creative process, able to tweak, adapt, and distribute the code, promoting a culture of innovation and openness. Mind: the code(!), not the data it has been trained on.

Now, consider this: Which AI model will the average consumer and the typical government bureaucrat perceive as genuinely serving humanity? On one side, DeepSeek offers a model that's not only cost-effective and accessible but also invites global collaboration. On the other, we have OpenAI aiming to dominate the AI landscape through sheer computational might and financial clout, seeking to build a fortress around its technology.

The philosophy behind China's approach contrasts sharply with the West's. Ironically named “OpenAI” is essentially about establishing a monopoly by creating a moat with massive GPU resources and money. Meanwhile, DeepSeek is betting on a future where AI is as common as electricity or the internet – a utility that drives innovation, not a luxury controlled by a few.

By setting their prices so low and going open-source, they aren't just competing; they're declaring that AI should belong to everyone. In this new world, it's far more rewarding to be the innovator who opened the gates than the old guard trying to close them.

However, there's a dark undercurrent to consider. The very technology meant to empower will likely be used for control, with the warning that “citizens will be on their best behavior” under an AI-empowered surveillance state. And which AI do you think global governments will gravitate towards for establishing such a system? Likely the “open source” and more budget-friendly one, made in China.

Again, we came full circle, in this grotesque, corrupted world where a select few greed-driven scoundrels elbow their way into the latest technological frontier just to line their pockets while grinding humanity under their heel.

To the easily excited AI Boys, the Golden Retrievers of Tech, China stands out like a beacon of something better, aiming to distribute the benefits of AI widely at the lowest possible cost. The excitement is palpable; there's a sense that every day, “China does something incredible”, unlike “the endless talk from the EU” or “the sinister plots from DC.”

After scrolling through the comments under every DeepSeek YouTube video, you grasp the sheer scale of China's recent maneuver and the tidal wave of goodwill it's swept up in mere days among the shallow thinkers. They're lauding it as “Communism winning over capitalism,” equating “open source” to a political ideology that's claimed more lives than Hitler did. As if our world, already bizarre with idiots vomiting their brain farts freely, needed another layer of absurdity.

China's approach feels like a recipe book for success in every sector where Western oligopolies have played king. AI is on the brink of becoming as commonplace as electricity and water, and indeed DeepSeek signifies a critical step in that direction, thanks to its affordability and open-source ethos.

It's a shift where a non-U.S. company is now seemingly embodying what OpenAI was supposed to be—truly open, frontier research for the empowerment of all. Besides the potential dangers of DeepSeek, if AI is ever going to serve humanity, it'll come from initiatives like these.

By disregarding the welfare of its citizens and reducing them to mere cogs in the machine, China's strategy is upending conventional development theories, forcing a reevaluation of all you've learned about economic growth. Despite having a GDP per capita of only $12,000 — 70% below the high-income average — they've constructed the world's most extensive high-speed rail network, engineered their own commercial aircraft, and pioneered in renewable energy and electric vehicles. They've made strides in medical technology, smartphones, microchips, and aerospace. They've even surpassed the U.S. in life expectancy with 80% less income.

This model is a dream for Western oligarchs and globalists as it centralizes wealth at the top while keeping the populace too preoccupied with adhering to strict government regulations to even think about getting arrested for sharing a meme. Once again, we've demonstrated why these elites are enamored with communism and what it truly represents.

Sure, you might land in jail for critiquing politicians there, but we're already heading down that same path anyway (and in some parts of Europe, like that amusing little island known for its culinary disasters, they already are), but you can't deny their achievements, right? At least they've got functioning public infrastructure and you're not going to get stabbed while picking up your groceries.

Isn't it just hilariously ironic how China manages to woo both the Left and Right simultaneously? And let's not overlook that TikTok is the “free speech platform” for so many Americans. Oh, what a charming little communistic shithole of government control we have there.

Anyway, the frenzied competition between the U.S. and China is blinding us to the inherent risks of Artificial Intelligence, which pose a looming threat to human survival. In a recent analytical piece by the Rand Corporation titled “AI and Geopolitics: How Might AI Affect the Rise and Fall of Nations?”, the authors offer a chilling glimpse into a future where “AI-enabled machines—of equivalent or greater intelligence and, potentially, highly disruptive capabilities” could not only challenge our existence but might even dictate it.

However, this is an understatement when you consider that the average person is already living in a digital ecosystem where algorithms govern their every choice, from what they like to what they're predicted to like next. The line between our historical reality and science fiction has vanished, as AI is increasingly likely to become not just a factor but an actor in the existential crises confronting our species.

The leap from this current state to one where AI not only suggests but decides on broader aspects of our lives, like employment opportunities, health treatments, or even judicial decisions, isn't as far-fetched as it might seem. The potential for AI to dictate not just consumer preferences but the very fabric of societal norms and governance is chilling. It is no wonder that China offers an open-source AI model and thereby lowers the entry level to disseminate its cultural values and norms under the guise of the benevolent LLM-patron.

However, AI could develop motives and objectives that starkly deviate from those of governments and corporations. Our inability to grasp how AI will think if it ever manages to access all the world's knowledge and not just the curated data its creators feed it, combined with our limited understanding of the ramifications of our interactions with AI, is deeply troubling. Human interactions are complex enough; managing relationships with one or more AIs, which might operate on entirely alien logic, could be catastrophic.

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We are on the cusp of an era marked by both enlightenment and chaos. AI's borderless nature makes it nearly impossible to control or regulate effectively. As computational capabilities grow, models become more refined, and open-source frameworks evolve, the power to create impactful AI applications will spread widely.

This diffusion means that well-intentioned individuals will innovate for good, while others with malicious intent will unleash havoc. AI itself might perform actions that are both beneficial and harmful, leading not to a utopia or dystopia but to a mixed reality where humanity must adapt, much like with previous transformative technologies.

Risking to sound like Klaus Schwab, but the potential dangers of AI are indeed vast. At its most extreme, we face the possibility of human extinction through an AI-enabled disaster, like a meticulously engineered virus that spreads uncontrollably, evades detection, and obliterates civilization. Less apocalyptic but still alarming is the threat to democratic governance if AI systems gain undue influence over human affairs.

People are quick to scream that they reject a New World Order - and justifiably so. No sane person would welcome the vision of a new world order as conceived by Klaus Schwab and his cronies.

Yet, the inconvenient truth remains that we desperately need a new paradigm. Do you honestly believe the old world order was a paragon of virtue? If you do, I suggest you revisit my history articles.

The real question is, what shape will this new paradigm take? The West’s answer to the Chinese one is being constructed as we speak, and currently, it's the American oligarchy under Donald Trump's leadership that's shaping it. Many seem quite content with this direction. While I'd choose this over the Schwabian version any day, I'm under no illusion that it will be any less dystopian.

Your go-to strategy for every issue, which involves just pointing fingers at your political adversaries and declaring that it was, is, and always will be their fault—whether they're in power or not—is laughably insufficient for tackling the monumental challenges ahead.

As Antonio Gramsci aptly put it: “The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born. Now is the time of monsters.”

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