A U.S. expert in artificial intelligence (AI) has commended AI Chatbot DeepSeek R1 for its open-source nature, emphasizing its role in promoting tech equity, energy efficiency, and global collaboration.
Shashank Tiwari, co-founder and CEO of the startup Uno.ai, which leverages AI agents for governance, risk, and compliance solutions, highlighted the benefits of DeepSeek R1's open-source technology. His company, which tests various AI models, finds DeepSeek R1 particularly valuable due to its open-source framework.
"We like the open source models because they're free, they're open. We can extend them, we can do more things on it, fine tune them as it's called. But also, we learn newer techniques, and we have an option to go back and contribute. It's not just taking from them, but you know, we can go back and give back to the community," said Tiwari.
Tiwari acknowledged that DeepSeek's AI model, celebrated for its efficiency, low cost, and open-source development, has also sparked fear-driven narratives framing it as part of a rivalry between China and the U.S. However, he views it differently, seeing it as the work of tech enthusiasts dedicated to innovation and accessibility.
"It's not like they are trying to hold you a slave to their technology. In fact, they build something cool, they put it out there and with very permissive licensing. They have said take it and do whatever you want to do. And I would like for the entire world to kind of do that," he said.
Tiwari also highlighted DeepSeek's energy efficiency, noting that it was developed without relying on the most advanced, energy-intensive chips. Unlike big tech companies that invest billions in high-powered processors and energy-consuming data centers, DeepSeek offers a more sustainable alternative.
"Each one of these generations of faster, better, smarter recompute is more energy hungry. The question is like, if you're able to find energy efficient alternatives of any shape, form, sizes, I think it should be encouraged," said Tiwari.
He added that open-source technology like DeepSeek can enhance tech equity, enabling countries without the resources to purchase high-end chips to still participate in the AI revolution. By lowering barriers to entry, DeepSeek exemplifies how open-source innovation can foster inclusivity and global progress in the AI field.
AI expert lauds DeepSeek for promoting inclusive, sustainable tech
