However, the company faces challenges, including bans imposed by countries like Italy, Australia, and Taiwan, amid ongoing US-China tensions regarding AI technology.

Liang Wenfeng, DeepSeek's founder, has expressed a desire to maintain independence and control over the company's operations, opting not to rush into securing external investment.

DeepSeek, an AI chatbot app, has surged in popularity, becoming a top download in Apple's App Store, which has led to outages on the platform due to high user interest.

The startup has gained significant attention for its advancements in artificial intelligence, particularly within the competitive landscape in China.

Additionally, DeepSeek has encountered scrutiny over data security, leading to temporary registration limits due to malicious attacks.

While currently self-funded through profits from his hedge fund, High-Flyer, Liang acknowledges that the need for expensive AI chips may eventually require outside funding.

DeepSeek's AI model, DeepSeek-R1, demonstrated performance comparable to industry leader OpenAI, creating considerable buzz in Silicon Valley and contributing to a global sell-off in tech stocks.

Despite its recent success, DeepSeek previously struggled to secure venture capital and is now focusing on partnerships with larger tech firms for commercial applications.

Looking ahead, DeepSeek plans to release a new reasoning model in April 2025, building on its recent advancements in AI training techniques.

Liang's apprehension towards government investment highlights a broader concern among tech founders regarding the influence of state interests on their ventures.

Access to advanced AI chips is restricted due to U.S. export controls, posing a significant challenge for DeepSeek as it seeks to remain competitive.

In a bid to differentiate itself, DeepSeek has adopted a strategy of making its AI models open-sourced and free to use, reflecting Liang's critique of the venture capital-driven monetization model.