China’s DeepSeek took AI world by storm. How this startup came into being?

DeepSeek offices in Beijing on Jan. 28, 2025. Peter Catterall | Afp | Getty Images Artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek has rocketed into global prominence, shaking up the AI world, but the team behind it is relatively unknown outside China. DeepSeek’s founder, Liang Wenfeng, has been dubbed by some in Western media as China’s Sam Altman. But unlike his Silicon Valley counterpart, Liang has maintained a low public profile. Liang’s team, comprising young graduates from some of the country’s leading universities, is also little known. The team consists of fewer than 140 people, according to Chinese state media, though a research…