On January 20, 2025, China sent shockwaves through the tech industry when it launched its very own artificial intelligence model—DeepSeek. (Ben Cohen, The Wall Street Journal). DeepSeek is an open-source AI model that its backers claim is more cost-effective than its rivals, including the U.S.’s OpenAI. (Forbes). According to reports, DeepSeek’s founder Liang Wenfreng developed the AI model with just $1.4 million in capital. (Ty Roush, Forbes). Meanwhile, DeepSeek’s largest rival, OpenAI, cost more than $100 million to develop, according to its CEO Sam Altman. (Katharina Buchholz, Forbes). The disparity between these figures and the drop in U.S. tech stocks has sparked fears among leading tech companies in the U.S. that Chinese outfits will soon overtake them. (Brian Cheung et al., NBC News). However, this article explores why the development of DeepSeek may very well be beneficial to America’s dominance in the AI realm, should U.S. tech companies be up for the challenge. 

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