An artificial intelligence lab based in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, has taken the tech world by storm. Founded by hedge fund manager Liang Wenfeng, DeepSeek recently unveiled its R1 model—a state-of-the-art AI system trained at a fraction of the cost of mainstream models like OpenAI's ChatGPT.
Within days of its release, DeepSeek's app soared to the top of the iPhone free app charts in both China and the United States, surpassing the once-dominant ChatGPT. The R1 model's groundbreaking efficiency has sparked heated debates in Silicon Valley over whether well-established U.S. AI companies, such as Meta and OpenAI, can maintain their technological lead.
Liang has quickly become a focal point of discussion in China's tech circles. Last week, he was invited to a symposium in Beijing, where Chinese Premier Li Qiang sought insights from experts, entrepreneurs, and representatives across various sectors on a draft government work report.
From Hedge Funds to AI Innovation
A graduate of Zhejiang University with a degree in Artificial Intelligence, Liang co-founded the quantitative hedge fund High-Flyer in 2016. The firm gained recognition for its innovative use of AI-driven trading strategies. By 2021, High-Flyer had fully integrated AI into its operations, utilizing machine learning models to predict market trends and make data-driven investment decisions.
The Birth of DeepSeek
In May 2023, driven by a deep curiosity and commitment to foundational research, Liang founded DeepSeek. Unlike traditional for-profit ventures, DeepSeek was envisioned as a platform for long-term, fundamental research aimed at advancing the field of artificial general intelligence (AGI). Liang believes that exploring the essence of human intelligence is crucial, even if it lacks immediate commercial incentives.
Despite his success, Liang has remained remarkably low-profile, granting interviews only to Anyong, a sub-brand of China's commercial tech media 36Kr. In these rare conversations, he offers glimpses into his philosophy and vision.
A Philosophy of 'Long-Termism'
For Liang, DeepSeek is more than a business venture—it's a passion project. He acknowledges that basic research often yields low immediate returns on investment, but he is captivated by the challenge of delving into complex fields like finance and the potential of AGI. \"Understanding the processes that underlie human intelligence is essential,\" he says, emphasizing the importance of curiosity-driven exploration in driving meaningful advancements in AI.
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Behind China's rising AI startup DeepSeek: Who is Liang Wenfeng?
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