DeepSeek cuts off US access to latest AI

DeepSeek, the Chinese artificial intelligence lab whose low-cost model rattled global markets last year, has not shown US chipmakers its latest flagship model for performance optimisation, two sources familiar with the matter said, breaking from standard industry practice ahead of a major model update.

- KRYSTAL HU STEPHEN NELLIS FANNY POTKIN

Instead, the lab, which is expected to launch its next major update, V4, granted early access to domestic suppliers, including Huawei Technologies, the sources said. Al developers typically share pre-release versions of major models with leading chipmakers such as Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices to ensure their software performs efficiently on widely used hardware. DeepSeek has previously worked closely with Nvidia's technical staff.

For its forthcoming model, which was expected to be released around the Lunar New Year holiday, DeepSeek did not provide access to Nvidia and AMD and gave Chinese chipmakers, including Huawei, a head start of several weeks to optimise the software for their processors, the sources said.

Nvidia and AMD declined to comment. DeepSeek and Huawei did not respond to requests for comment.

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