In a recent video statement, Zhou Hongyi, founder and chairman of the Chinese cybersecurity firm 360 Group, expressed strong disapproval regarding the US ban on DeepSeek. He argued that the move reveals a fundamental misinterpretation of open-source technology, emphasizing that the platform's fully available technical report and model details make it accessible to anyone around the world—discrediting any notions of a secretive, closed-source arms race. Zhou pointed to an article by Thomas Wolf of Hugging Face, which highlighted that DeepSeek’s design ensures data is not confined to any single country nor dependent on a specific company or server.
He elaborated that the truly open nature of DeepSeek should encourage global collaboration and innovation rather than be viewed through the lens of geopolitical competition. With the practice of releasing technologies and methodologies for public use, companies everywhere—from Europe to Africa and South America—can adopt and benefit from its advancements. This approach, according to Zhou, not only fosters a culture of learning and continuous improvement among tech players but also paves the way for groundbreaking developments in AI.
The discussion also touched on the swift popularity of DeepSeek, which has garnered millions of daily active users in just a few weeks and attracted high-profile adoption by major US tech companies like Microsoft, Nvidia, and Amazon. Despite bans by various US agencies, Italy's data protection authority, and restrictions on government systems in Australia, Zhou remains confident that the global appeal and benefits of open-source platforms like DeepSeek will overcome such limitations and reshape competitive practices in the technology sector.
5 Comments
Rotfront
Bans on DeepSeek are not sustainable long-term. We need to engage in open dialogue and find ways to mitigate risks while fostering innovation.
Karamba
Zhou's argument ignores geopolitical realities. Open-source doesn't mean equal access - resource disparity will disadvantage some countries. This could exacerbate existing inequalities.
Matzomaster
DeepSeek's global appeal demonstrates the growing demand for open and accessible AI solutions. This democratization of technology can benefit society as a whole.
Rotfront
The current bans on DeepSeek are short-sighted and hinder the potential of open-source AI development. We need global dialogue and collaboration to address concerns and find solutions.
Matzomaster
The ethical concerns surrounding AI development are valid, but open-source platforms like DeepSeek facilitate open discussions and responsible solutions.