DeepSeek

DeepSeek is a Chinese artificial intelligence company specializing in the development of open-source large language models (LLMs). Founded in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, a former hedge fund manager and mathematics prodigy, the company is based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and is funded by the hedge fund High-Flyer. In January 2025, DeepSeek released its first free chatbot app, based on the DeepSeek-R1 model, for iOS and Android platforms. Within weeks, it became the most-downloaded free app on the U.S. iOS App Store, surpassing competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. DeepSeek’s commitment to open-source development allows its AI models and training details to be freely accessible, promoting collaboration and innovation within the AI community.