Nvidia Shares Plunges 17% as China’s DeepSeek Shakes Up AI Industry

Nvidia and other U.S. tech companies saw sharp declines on Monday as Chinese AI startup DeepSeek raised concerns about America’s leadership in artificial intelligence.

Nvidia, a key player in the AI chip market, dropped nearly 17%, marking its worst day since March 2020.

What Triggered the Sell-Off?

The sell-off was triggered by DeepSeek’s recent achievements. The Chinese company launched a free, open-source large language model in December, developed in just two months at a cost of under $6 million.

Last week, DeepSeek also released a reasoning model that reportedly outperformed OpenAI’s latest in several tests.

Global Impact

The news sent shockwaves through global markets:

• U.S. Chipmakers: Micron, Arm Holdings, Broadcom, and AMD saw significant losses.
• European Markets: ASML and ASM International pulled back sharply.
• Asian Markets: Japanese chip-related stocks like Advantest and Tokyo Electron also fell.

Why It Matters

DeepSeek’s success has raised questions about the massive investments U.S. tech giants have made in AI. Analysts worry that America’s dominance in the sector may be slipping.

However, some experts argue that access to advanced chips, like Nvidia’s GPUs, remains a key advantage for U.S. companies.

Mixed Reactions

• Praise: Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen called DeepSeek’s breakthrough a “profound gift to the world.”
• Skepticism: Bernstein analysts questioned whether the $6 million figure included all costs and called the panic “overblown.”

What’s Next?

The competition in AI is heating up, with U.S. companies likely to double down on their investments. The recent $500 billion Stargate AI project highlights the growing demand for advanced chips and infrastructure.

As the AI race intensifies, the global tech industry is bracing for more disruptions.