The launch of DeepSeek, lesson learned about innovation

When something as disruptive as the release of DeepSeek-V3 happens, hindsight makes it easy to rationalize its arrival. But let’s be honest—no one truly saw this coming. If someone claims otherwise, they’re either reaping the rewards this week or overstating their foresight. What’s clear now, though, is that this breakthrough was inevitable—and it carries crucial lessons for the future of artificial intelligence.

DeepSeek’s success reinforces a powerful truth: innovation thrives in ecosystems that prioritize openness and collaboration. By releasing their methods and tools into the open-source community, DeepSeek is accelerating global progress, enabling smaller players to enter the AI space. As Tim Dettmers, a researcher at the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Seattle and a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University who specializes in building efficient A.I. systems, told The New York Times: “DeepSeek used methods that anyone can duplicate.”

The publication of DeepSeek’s research paper and the release of DeepSeek-V3 demonstrate how knowledge-sharing creates fertile ground for innovation. But what’s truly remarkable is where this openness originates—not from the United States, a longtime hub of free-market innovation, but from China, a nation often criticized for its autocracy and regulatory control.

It’s ironic that China is emerging as a champion of openness in AI innovation, while the United States, historically the global leader in technological progress, increasingly leans toward protectionism.

The release of DeepSeek-V3 into the open-source community (accessible here) represents a step toward sustainable, technology-driven growth. It proves that innovation will always find a way. For advocates of protectionism, this must be a bitter pill to swallow: openness, not isolation, is driving the most significant advances in AI today.

While DeepSeek’s open-source release levels the playing field, Big Tech isn’t out of the game. Giants like Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI still hold significant advantages due to their vast financial resources, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and dominance in global markets. However, the rules of the game are shifting, and they’ll need to adapt.

The era of monopolizing innovation through proprietary technologies may be over. To stay ahead, Big Tech must embrace collaboration, invest in agility, and find a balance between openness and their business interests.

This shift isn’t a threat to Big Tech—it’s an opportunity. Innovation is inherently positive: it drives growth, inspires progress, and creates a more connected world. By fostering a vibrant, collaborative ecosystem where smaller players can thrive, Big Tech also benefits from new ideas, talent, and partnerships.

In the near term, we should expect innovation to accelerate across the entire AI landscape. On one end, resource-intensive research and development will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, led by well-funded players. On the other end, smaller organizations and startups will capitalize on decreasing costs to build advanced AI systems, finding creative ways to solve problems and contribute to the field.

DeepSeek has set a powerful example: openness fuels progress. By making their research and methods accessible to the global community, they’ve achieved more than a technological breakthrough—it’s a philosophical one.

For businesses, researchers, and policymakers, the lesson this week is clear: the future of innovation isn’t about hoarding ideas or guarding knowledge—it’s about sharing them.