Korean Media: DeepSeek Bridges the Global AI Gap!
On February 6, the Korean media "Chosun Ilbo" published an article stating that Chinese open-source software is expanding its influence in markets neglected by the United States.
In Belarus, six out of ten AI users use DeepSeek. In Cuba, this ratio is half, and in Russia, it is four out of ten. It is not ChatGPT or Claude, but a free open-source model developed by a Chinese startup.
Although the global popularity of artificial intelligence continues to break records, the gap between developed and developing countries is actually widening. DeepSeek is taking advantage of this gap. With limited computing power due to U.S. semiconductor export restrictions, China has quickly captured markets that the West has failed to enter, using open-source technology and efficient operations.
A report released by the Microsoft Artificial Intelligence Economy Institute shows that the penetration rate of generative AI globally will reach 16.3% in the second half of 2025, higher than 15.1% in the first half. This means that one in every six people worldwide will use artificial intelligence.
However, upon closer inspection, this imbalance is worsening. The AI adoption rate in developed countries reaches 24.7%, while it is only 14.1% in developing countries. This gap has widened from 9.8 percentage points in the previous quarter to 10.6 percentage points. The top ten countries in AI adoption are all high-income countries.
The World Bank also made a similar assessment. In 2024, high-income countries accounted for 87% of leading global AI models, 86% of AI startups, and 91% of venture capital. However, these countries account for only 17% of the world's population.
Countries such as the UAE (64.0%), Singapore (60.9%), and Norway (45.3%) that invested early in digital infrastructure and AI education lead in AI penetration rates. In contrast, the penetration rates in some of the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are below 10%. A Microsoft report analyzed that this gap widens sharply in countries where GDP per capita is less than $20,000.
DeepSeek has risen in this market gap. Founded in 2023, DeepSeek targets price-sensitive markets with its free service and MIT license open-source policy. Reports show that DeepSeek's market share in China is 89%, 56% in Belarus, 49% in Cuba, 43% in Russia, 25% in Iran, and 23% in Syria. Moreover, in African countries such as Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and Niger, DeepSeek's market share also reached 11% to 14%.
They have one thing in common. These regions mostly have difficulty accessing U.S. services or Western technology. DeepSeek is pre-installed on smartphones produced by Chinese manufacturers like Huawei, which has accelerated its spread.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1856374332721152/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.