DeepSeek Sidelines Nvidia, AMD in AI Model Rollout; Huawei Gets Early Access

• DeepSeek, a Chinese AI lab, withheld early access to its upcoming V4 model from Nvidia and AMD, a break from industry practice.
• Instead, DeepSeek granted early access to domestic suppliers like Huawei Technologies, giving Chinese chipmakers a head start.
• The move highlights the deepening technological divide between the US and China and Beijing's push for semiconductor independence.
• A US official suggested DeepSeek's model was trained on Nvidia's Blackwell chips in mainland China, potentially violating export controls.
• DeepSeek's low-cost model previously jolted global markets, and Chinese AI models are rapidly gaining traction on open-source platforms.