DeepSeek's AI Surges in Developing Nations, Microsoft Report Warns of Widening Divide

• Chinese AI startup DeepSeek gains significant traction in developing nations, challenging OpenAI's ChatGPT.
• Microsoft report reveals global generative AI adoption at 16.3%, but the divide between developed and developing countries is widening.
• DeepSeek's free, open-source models and cost-effective R1 AI are lowering adoption barriers in price-sensitive regions.
• DeepSeek shows high market share in China (89%), Belarus (56%), Cuba (49%), Russia (43%), and other nations.
• Developed countries like the U.S. and Microsoft itself limit DeepSeek use due to security concerns, highlighting its geopolitical role.

Why It Matters: DeepSeek's rise in developing nations, driven by affordability, reshapes global AI adoption and geopolitics.