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China’s DeepSeek unveils latest models a year after upending global tech
TL;DR
China's DeepSeek has launched its latest AI chatbots, DeepSeek-V4-Pro and DeepSeek-V4-Flash, aiming to compete with US tech giants. The 'pro' version excels in maths and coding, while the 'flash' model offers faster responses at lower costs.
Key points
- DeepSeek launched DeepSeek-V4-Pro and V4-Flash chatbots
- V4-Pro excels in maths and coding, trailing only Google’s Gemini 3.1-Pro
- V4-Flash offers faster responses and lower costs
- Both models follow an open-source model for developer use
Mentioned in this story
DeepSeek
OpenAIGoogleGemini 3.1-Pro
China’s DeepSeek has unveiled the latest versions of its signature artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, a year after its flagship model sent shockwaves through the global tech scene.
The Chinese start-up launched preview versions of DeepSeek-V4-Pro and DeepSeek-V4-Flash on Friday as it touted its ability to go toe-to-toe with US rivals such as OpenAI and Google.
The “pro” version beats all rival open models for maths and coding, and trails only Google’s Gemini 3.1-Pro for world knowledge, DeepSeek said in an announcement on social media.
The “flash” model has similar reasoning abilities to the “pro” version, while offering faster response times and more cost-effective pricing, the Hangzhou-based startup said.
Like DeepSeek’s previous chatbots, V4-Pro and V4-Flash follow an open-source model, meaning developers are free to use and modify them at will.
The release comes after DeepSeek-R1 stunned the tech sector upon its launch in January last year with capabilities broadly comparable with those of ChatGPT and Gemini.
Marc Andreessen, a prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist with close ties to United States President Donald Trump, hailed the model’s release at the time as “AI’s Sputnik moment”.
The performance of the Chinese-developed model attracted particular attention as its developers claimed to have spent less than $6m on computing costs – a fraction of the multibillion-dollar budgets that are usual in Silicon Valley.
Some tech analysts challenged DeepSeek’s account of working with such scant resources, arguing that the start-up most likely had access to greater funding and more advanced chips than acknowledged.
DeepSeek’s arrival on the scene prompted blowback in some countries amid concerns about data protection and Chinese government censorship.
Multiple US states, Australia, Taiwan, South Korea, Denmark and Italy introduced bans or other restrictions on DeepSeek-R1 shortly after its release, citing privacy and national security concerns.
More to follow …
Q&A
What are the key features of DeepSeek-V4-Pro and V4-Flash?
DeepSeek-V4-Pro excels in maths and coding, while V4-Flash offers similar reasoning abilities with faster response times and cost-effective pricing.
How does DeepSeek's new chatbot compare to OpenAI and Google?
DeepSeek claims its 'pro' version outperforms all rival open models in maths and coding, only trailing Google's Gemini 3.1-Pro in world knowledge.
What is the significance of DeepSeek's open-source model?
The open-source model allows developers to freely use and modify DeepSeek's chatbots, promoting innovation and collaboration in AI development.
