DeepSeek Claims Theoretical Cost-Profit Ratio of 545% Per Day
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek on Saturday disclosed some cost and revenue data related to its hit V3 and R1 models, claiming a theoretical cost-profit ratio of up to 545% per day. This marks the first time the Hangzhou-based company has revealed any information about its profit margins from less computationally intensive "inference" tasks, the stage after training that involves trained AI models making predictions or performing tasks. The revelation could further rattle AI stocks outside China that plummeted in January after web and app chatbots powered by its R1 and V3 models surged in popularity worldwide.
- This remarkable profit margin highlights the significant cost savings achieved by leveraging more affordable yet less powerful computing chips, such as Nvidia's H800, which challenges conventional wisdom on the relationship between hardware and software costs.
- Can DeepSeek's innovative approach to AI chip usage be scaled up to other industries, or will its reliance on lower-cost components limit its long-term competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving AI landscape?