From Sputnik to DeepSeek: China’s Bid for AI Supremacy

Open Source or Soft Power? The Real Face of DeepSeek

When Beijing’s “open” AI becomes a geopolitical weapon.

We’ve all heard about DeepSeek. First the experts, then the media, and finally the general public turned the spotlight on the new Chinese AI that shook Meta, Microsoft, Google, and even Nvidia — the world’s leading producer of AI chips, banned from the Chinese market due to the #ChipsAct, and which lost $589 billion in a single day.

But DeepSeek is not just an open‑source AI model — it’s a direct challenge to American technological supremacy. With DeepSeek, Beijing is attempting to dismantle the myth of liberal capitalist superiority, positioning itself as the more “open,” efficient, and free alternative to the American Big Tech giants that dominate and restrict the AI market. And so, one of the most digitally surveilled countries in the world presents itself as the champion of digital freedom.

Just days after DeepSeek’s release came Qwen, Alibaba’s AI model — with performances outstripping its Western counterparts.

The AI market has changed.

“Personally, I think we have been on the wrong side of history here and need to figure out a different open source strategy.”

So yes, we are witnessing a USA–China standoff over global tech dominance, and the stock market attack on Nvidia (already accused of violating China’s anti‑monopoly laws) marks the beginning of a new phase in the economic war.

Open Source or Strategic Soft Power?

But does DeepSeek really represent the victory of a “free” development model over the dominance of American Big Tech? Obviously not.

Today we are far from the spirit of collaboration and knowledge sharing that gave birth to the idea of open source and free software.

So what does #DeepSeek really have to do with Open Source?

DeepSeek has been presented as proof of the success of open source and the Chinese approach to AI development — a different and better economic, cultural, and social model. But it’s not really about DeepSeek itself — it’s about the platform, the Chinese economic ecosystem showcasing its new champion.

Back in 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik 1 into orbit, sending the U.S. into panic mode and kicking off the space race. In 2024, China launches DeepSeek, opening the race for AI dominance.

Cyberpunk DeepSeek illustration — Cybermediateinment’s futuristic rendering of DeepSeek’s sphere‑square control. *Image: Cybermediateinment*

Many are now talking about the end of the hype around proprietary LLMs. So much so that Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (ChatGPT), has signaled a return to the project’s “open” roots:

The Market Logic Behind “Openness”

DeepSeek is an open‑source AI model — its code is accessible and modifiable. In theory, this openness should encourage free and rapid development, rewarding participation and recognizing the contributions of programmers. But the reality is far more complex.

The history of #opensource is rooted in market pressures — rising from the ashes of the utopian vision of early programmers and the original hacker communities.

The Free Software movement, born in the AI labs of MIT in the 1960s, was built on knowledge sharing and free commercial use. But today, only the version that serves market interests survives: the one that delivers fast results, attracts investors, and generates profits. Big Tech — financial and governmental powerhouses — now manage “open” projects as ecosystems to fuel their platforms and impose de facto standards.

And now, with DeepSeek, open source becomes a flag waved by China.

Conclusion: A New Sputnik Moment

DeepSeek’s release is less about liberating the AI ecosystem and more about redefining geopolitical narratives. It positions Beijing as a purveyor of digital freedom in a world increasingly skeptical of American tech monopolies.