DeepSeek: Evaluation and Overview



With the rapid advancement of AI, various AI services have emerged. One such service is DeepSeek, a large language model (LLM) developed by the Chinese AI company DeepSeek, known for its advanced reasoning and code generation capabilities. DeepSeek has released models like DeepSeek-V3, which have garnered attention for their high-level reasoning abilities and cost-effectiveness.

In this blog, I will evaluate the safety and appropriateness of using DeepSeek from various perspectives, including:

  • Operating company
  • Founders
  • Capital relationships
  • Governing law
  • Hosting location
  • Security certifications
  • Data collection and privacy
  • Terms of use and responsibilities
  • Reputation

What is DeepSeek?

Overview

DeepSeek has attracted attention for its performance surpassing models like GPT-4o and Claude3.5, all at a lower cost. Some users have rated it as equal to or better than GPT or Claude as a coding assistant. Additionally, DeepSeek-V3 has demonstrated versatility and high processing capabilities in tasks such as creative writing and coding.

Operating Company

DeepSeek is operated by Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd. and Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd. Founded in May 2023 and headquartered in Hangzhou, China, the company has developed the latest DeepSeek-V3, which is said to have performance comparable to OpenAI's GPT-4o.

Founders

The founder of DeepSeek is Mr. Liang Wenfeng, who majored in computer science at Zhejiang University and served as the founder and leader of High-Flyer, one of China's top quant hedge funds. High-Flyer boasts a valuation of $8 billion, and Mr. Liang is known for his deep knowledge in both finance and technology. Through High-Flyer, he has fully funded DeepSeek, and his decision to open-source all models demonstrates his strong commitment to the development of AI technology.

Mr. Liang has described the open-sourcing as a "dominant strategy to strengthen the entire ecosystem," indicating a focus on sharing and advancing AI technology. Additionally, DeepSeek appears to foster an organizational culture that emphasizes egalitarian communication, similar to what is advocated by Mr. Wang Huiwen, founder of Light Year, and Mr. Greg Brockman, co-founder of OpenAI. This is considered an important factor in promoting learning and growth within an organization centered on young talent.

Capital Relationships

DeepSeek was established by Mr. Liang Wenfeng and is funded by High-Flyer, the hedge fund he founded. DeepSeek has received $4.1 million in funding from High-Flyer. Without raising funds from venture capital, it is reported that they purchased hardware worth $6 million with funds from High-Flyer to build the project.

The strategy of open-sourcing all models has the potential to intensify price competition in China's AI model market. Regarding relationships with the Chinese government or the Chinese Communist Party, no clear information was found in this investigation.

About the Service

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

According to DeepSeek's terms of service, the governing law is the laws of mainland China, and the court with jurisdiction is the court governing the registered address of Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd. In the event of legal disputes, they will be resolved in Chinese courts based on Chinese law.

Hosting Location

DeepSeek's servers are located in the People's Republic of China. Personal information collected by DeepSeek is stored on secure servers within China. The fact that servers are located within China raises concerns about data privacy and government access.


For more information, visit the official Japanese blog post.

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