GZERO AI
DeepSeek says no to outside investment — for now
Liang Wenfeng, founder of startup DeepSeek, delivers a speech at the 10th China Private Equity Golden Bull Awards in 2019 in Shanghai, China.
VCG/VCG via Reuters
March 11, 2025
DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng has shrugged off hungry requests to invest in the Chinese artificial intelligence startup, according to a Monday report in the Wall Street Journal.
The company’s AI models are open-source and free to use, and Liang is reportedly hesitant to take any outside investment that could change that.
The chatbot company has amassed millions of users while drawing scrutiny from global regulators concerned about a Chinese company handling sensitive user data. Chinese tech giants Tencent and Alibaba are among those that have tried to invest in DeepSeek. The company is effectively controlled by Liang through his hedge fund High-Flyer, though the hedge fund spun off DeepSeek as an independent company when it was created in 2023.
For now, DeepSeek will continue to fly solo. But with pressure from investors, who knows how long Liang will be willing to hold on to the enterprise by himself?
More For You
- YouTube
The Iran war is entering its third month with no clear exit. What does the standoff mean for the US, Russia, and China? Ian explains.
Most Popular
Think you know what's going on around the world? Here's your chance to prove it.
US President Donald Trump participates in an arrival ceremony at Beijing Capital International Airport during his visit to the country, in Beijing, China, on May 13, 2026.
REUTERS/Evan Vucci
Xi Jinping will welcome Donald Trump with lots of pomp and circumstance. The summit, though, will be short on substance.
As women’s wealth and spending power rise, so does their impact on sports. Increased investment, sponsorship, and fan engagement are fueling long-term growth and redefining the economics of the industry. Discover the growth of women’s sports with Bank of America Institute.
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.