Corrected Title: Global tech shares decline amid concerns over Chinese AI breakthrough

Monday 27 January 2025 - 16:35

Global technology stocks have experienced a decline due to the rise of DeepSeek, a Chinese chatbot competitor to OpenAI's ChatGPT, sparking concerns over the long-term viability of the U.S. AI-driven market surge. Stocks in Asian and European markets fell on Monday, and the Nasdaq index in New York was set to open lower, as investors assessed the implications of AI models created by the startup DeepSeek.

DeepSeek's AI assistant topped app store charts in the U.S. and the UK over the weekend, surpassing ChatGPT. This raised doubts about the dominance of U.S.-based companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Meta, which were expected to see declines in their stock prices.

DeepSeek's development of AI models with fewer chips than its competitors has made the technology more affordable to produce. The company claims to have spent under $6 million on building its models using specialized algorithms and less advanced H800 chips from Nvidia. While Nvidia's advanced H100 chips have been restricted from export to China due to U.S. sanctions, DeepSeek has been able to create a sophisticated AI model without relying on the most cutting-edge American technology.

The success of DeepSeek has sparked concerns about the effectiveness of U.S. efforts to curb China's technological advancements. U.S. venture capitalist Marc Andreessen called DeepSeek's AI model a "Sputnik moment" for the industry, comparing it to a significant milestone in the U.S.-USSR space race.

DeepSeek claims its AI model outperforms OpenAI’s smaller models and has been rated higher than those from Google, Meta, and Anthropic. The company, founded by entrepreneur Liang Wenfeng, focuses on research rather than commercial products. It offers its assistant and software for free, emphasizing the importance of AI accessibility for all.

The development of DeepSeek's AI model raises questions about the ongoing need for large investments in AI infrastructure, including chips, and challenges the leading position of U.S. tech firms in the AI sector. This has led to concerns about the sustainability of U.S. tech valuations.

In Europe, the pan-European Stoxx 600 index fell by 0.75%, with technology stocks down by 4.5%. Major companies like Dutch chipmaker ASML and Germany’s Siemens Energy saw significant declines. Shares of Nvidia, the leading chipmaker in AI, dropped over 11% in pre-market trading, reflecting concerns over the impact of DeepSeek’s advancements.

Asian markets also saw losses, with Japanese chipmakers Disco and Advantest experiencing declines. Nasdaq futures in the U.S. dropped by 2.6%, while S&P 500 futures fell by 1.4%.

Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, noted that the emergence of DeepSeek’s model could potentially disrupt the industry and lead investors to reevaluate the hundreds of billions of dollars invested in AI technologies.