Key Takeaways
- The global adoption of generative AI tools has reached 16.3% of the world’s population, with a widening gap between developed and developing countries.
- Chinese tech startup DeepSeek is gaining ground in developing nations, narrowing the gap in AI adoption with advanced economies.
- DeepSeek’s free and open-source models have fueled wider AI adoption across the developing world, particularly in countries with limited access to Western AI platforms.
- The rise of DeepSeek has raised concerns about the potential for Chinese influence in areas where Western platforms cannot easily operate.
Introduction to AI Adoption
The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly widespread, with a new report suggesting that 16.3% of the world’s population is now using generative AI tools. According to researchers from Microsoft, this represents a significant increase from the previous three months, when 15.1% of the population was using these tools. However, despite this growth, the report notes that the divide between developed and developing countries is widening, with AI adoption in advanced economies growing nearly twice as fast as in developing nations. As Juan Lavista Ferres, chief data scientist for Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, notes, "We are seeing a divide and we are concerned that that divide will continue to widen."
The Rise of DeepSeek
One of the key factors driving the growth of AI adoption in developing countries is the rise of Chinese tech startup DeepSeek. Founded in 2023, DeepSeek has been gaining ground in many developing nations, particularly in countries with limited access to Western AI platforms. The company’s free and open-source models have been particularly popular, with its advanced reasoning AI model, R1, being described as a "landmark paper" by leading science journal Nature. As Lavista Ferres notes, DeepSeek is a "good model" for tasks like math or coding, but it operates differently from U.S.-based models on topics like politics. "We have observed that for certain type of questions, of course, they follow the same type of access to the internet that China has," he said. "Which means that there will be questions that will be answered very differently, particularly political questions. In many ways that can have an influence on the world."
Global Adoption of DeepSeek
The global adoption of DeepSeek has been significant, particularly in countries with limited access to Western AI platforms. According to the report, DeepSeek’s market share in China was 89%, followed by Belarus’s 56% and Cuba’s 49%. In Russia, its market share was around 43%, while in Syria and Iran, it reached around 23% and 25%, respectively. In many African countries, including Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and Niger, DeepSeek’s market share was between 11% to 14%. As the report notes, "Open-source AI can function as a geopolitical instrument, extending Chinese influence in areas where Western platforms cannot easily operate."
Concerns about DeepSeek
Despite the growth of DeepSeek, there are concerns about the potential risks associated with its use. Developed countries, including Australia, Germany, and the U.S., have sought to limit the use of DeepSeek over alleged security risks. Microsoft last year banned its own employees from using DeepSeek, citing concerns about the potential for Chinese influence. As Lavista Ferres notes, "We are looking more broadly at the topic" of AI adoption, and the rise of DeepSeek is a key factor in this discussion. The report also notes that DeepSeek’s prevalence correlated with it being a default chatbot on widely available phones made by Chinese tech companies like Huawei.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the adoption of AI is becoming increasingly widespread, with a significant growth in developing countries. The rise of DeepSeek has been a key factor in this growth, particularly in countries with limited access to Western AI platforms. However, there are concerns about the potential risks associated with its use, including the potential for Chinese influence. As the report notes, "This combination of openness and affordability allowed DeepSeek to gain traction in markets underserved by Western AI platforms." The growth of DeepSeek highlights the need for a nuanced discussion about the potential benefits and risks of AI adoption, and the need for a more equitable distribution of AI technologies around the world. As Lavista Ferres notes, "We are seeing a divide and we are concerned that that divide will continue to widen." It is essential to address this divide and ensure that the benefits of AI are shared equitably among all countries.
https://www.wral.com/news/ap/3ffc9-deepseeks-ai-gains-traction-in-developing-nations-microsoft-report-says/