China challenges Silicon Valley in AI dominance
China is quickly closing the gap with the US in artificial intelligence, and it's starting to shake up who leads in tech worldwide.
Chinese AI models like DeepSeek aren't just local hits—they're going global and giving American companies some real competition.
With all this momentum, there are big questions about what it means for the future of AI, tech jobs, and even international power.
DeepSeek has over 34 million monthly users worldwide
By early 2025, DeepSeek had racked up nearly 34 million monthly users worldwide.
Most users are from China, India, and Indonesia, but it's catching on in the US and Europe too.
Thanks to partnerships with giants like Amazon Web Services, DeepSeek is spreading fast despite ongoing tensions between China and Western countries.
Many companies in the Middle East and Asia are using DeepSeek
Major players like HSBC, Standard Chartered, and Saudi Aramco have started using DeepSeek because it works well—and costs way less than similar US options (think: about 1/17th of the price).
That combo of performance and low cost could help Chinese AI go even more global.
Concerns about Chinese AI tools being used by militaries
China's open-source approach is sparking new innovations while driving down costs for everyone.
Experts say whoever gets their models used around the world could end up leading in AI overall.
But there are still worries about how these tools might be used by governments or militaries—and how trade restrictions could affect who controls tomorrow's tech.