DeepSeek sprang onto the scene in 2023, with ambitions to rival major players like
OpenAI, boasting models that reportedly develop at a fraction of the cost of its competitors. The company claims that they developed their most recent model,
DeepSeek R1, for around $6 million, which is significantly lower than what others in the field are spending. This cost-effectiveness makes DeepSeek’s offerings appealing, especially for users looking for viable alternatives to their existing AI solutions. However, as noted in various discussions on
Hacker News, it seems that excitement about the platform's capabilities is overshadowed by the practical issues separating eager users from the AI promises.