Microsoft Unexpectedly Joins Hands with DeepSeek

Microsoft has just integrated China's AI DeepSeek into the Azure platform.

In a notable development, Microsoft has just announced the integration of the R1 artificial intelligence (AI) model from Chinese startup DeepSeek into its Azure cloud computing platform and GitHub tools. R1 will be part of a catalog of more than 1,800 AI models that Microsoft is providing to developers.

Microsoft has partnered with DeepSeek.

DeepSeek recently made headlines when it launched a free AI assistant that can process data more efficiently and at a significantly lower cost than its competitors. The app quickly surpassed ChatGPT in downloads on the App Store, causing a stir among tech investors.

Microsoft's partnership with DeepSeek is seen as a strategy to reduce its dependence on OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. Reuters previously reported that Microsoft was looking to diversify the AI ??models for its Microsoft 365 Copilot product.

Notably, Microsoft also said that users will soon be able to run the R1 model locally on Copilot+ computers, helping to address privacy and data security concerns.

However, there are risks to using DeepSeek's AI models. Bloomberg News reported that Microsoft and OpenAI are investigating whether DeepSeek is linked to a group that illegally obtained data output from OpenAI's technology. In addition, the fact that DeepSeek stores user data in China could also hinder its use in the US.

The rise of DeepSeek has created a lot of competitive pressure, forcing rivals like OpenAI to quickly launch new products. Alibaba also recently launched a new version of its AI model Qwen 2.5, on the first day of the Lunar New Year.