A growing number of people have turned to AI for emotional support, with some even using it as a substitute for therapy. This phenomenon has led to the development of new AI companies, including DeepSeek, which promises to be a cost-effective and high-performance alternative to established competitors.
DeepSeek is an AI company that specializes in open-source large language models, designed for tasks such as technical question answering, code generation, and problem-solving. Its models, including DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1, are designed to provide high-performance and cost-effective solutions for users.
However, like any AI, DeepSeek is not without its drawbacks. Technical issues can occur, and stricter content filters may be implemented to ensure user safety. Additionally, concerns about data privacy may arise.
DeepSeek offers a completely free tier with full access to its core functionality, allowing anyone to use the DeepSeek-V3 and R1 models without restrictions. Unlike many AI services, DeepSeek provides unlimited access to its chatbot and models without requiring a credit card or daily query limits.
DeepSeek is owned by High-Flyer, a Chinese hedge fund, and was founded by Liang Wenfeng, a 40-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from Zhejiang University. Wenfeng serves as the CEO of DeepSeek and previously co-founded High-Flyer, a quantitative investment management firm that manages a reported $8 billion in assets.
The announcement of DeepSeek’s cost-effective AI model has raised concerns about the future demand for Nvidia’s high-performance AI chips, which are core to its business. This has led to a decline in Nvidia’s stock price, with the company’s stock plummeting 17% on January 27, 2025.
DeepSeek R1 offers both free and paid tiers, with pricing as low as $0.14 per million input tokens and $0.28 per million output tokens. While not completely free, DeepSeek R1 provides a very affordable option compared to other AI models, with some platforms offering limited free usage or low-cost access.