TCS | Deep impact: Dean Furman on the implications of China's DeepSeek

Loading player...
China’s DeepSeek rocked US technology stocks last month after the company appeared to have developed an artificial intelligence model akin to OpenAI’s most advanced ChatGPT models at a tiny fraction of the cost.
Stocks like Nvidia, Google and Microsoft cratered on the news as it raised serious questions about whether the tens of billions – if not hundreds of billions of dollars – that Big Tech is pouring into AI infrastructure makes sense and whether China is further ahead than many people had realised.
To unpack the potential implications of DeepSeek and the rise of Chinese AI models, TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod spoke to South African AI expert and keynote speaker Dean Furman to unpack the subject is greater detail – including what it could mean in the South African context.
In this episode of the TechCentral Show, Furman discusses:
• Whether China – and DeepSeek specifically – just upended the economics of AI;
• Whether American Big Tech firms should be worried;
• DeepSeek’s strengths and weaknesses in relation to AI tools from the likes of Google, Meta Platforms and OpenAI;
• Chinese government censorship of DeepSeek’s results and whether this matters to users outside China;
• The significance of DeepSeek’s models being released using an open-source licence and what this means for the future development of AI; and
• How far the world is from AGI, or artificial general intelligence.
It’s a fascinating discussion – be sure not to miss it!
7 Feb English South Africa Technology · Business

Other recent episodes

Meet the CIO | Schalk Visser on Cell C’s big tech pivot

Schalk Visser has worked in telecommunications for more than 20 years, first at Telkom, then at Vodacom and now at Cell C, where he has served as chief information and technology officer since 2020. Visser, an engineer, joined Cell C 13 years ago – during the tenure of former CEO…
13 May 39 min

TCS | Kiaan Pillay on fintech start-up Stitch and its R1-billion funding round

Cape Town-based fintech start-up Stitch last month caught the attention of many people when it announced it was raising R1-billion (US$55-million) in a significant series-B funding round. Co-founder and CEO Kiaan Pillay is our guest in this episode of the TechCentral Show, where he tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about…
7 May 37 min

TCS+ | Switchcom and Huawei eKit: networking made easy for SMEs

Networking equipment wholesaler Switchcom Distribution has partnered with Huawei Technologies to bring new offerings to the South African market and elsewhere in Africa. In the first episode of this series, Switchcom national sales manager Lynton Brits and Huawei account manager Tanki Lebatla told TCS+ about the rationale behind the partnership…
6 May 24 min

TCS | How Covid sparked a corporate tug-of-war over Adapt IT

Shortly after the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Tiffany Dunsdon – at the time CEO of JSE-listed Adapt IT – found herself having to fend off an unwanted takeover bid from Huge Group. Dunsdon did not feel the deal made much sense for Adapt IT – a fast-growing enterprise software services provider…
30 Apr 38 min

TCS | From fibre to clean tech: Khudu Pitje on New GX Capital’s next chapter

New GX Capital, one of the principal investors in Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa parent CIVH, recently announced it was launching a R2.4-billion clean-tech investment fund in partnership with RMB Ventures. To unpack the details of the new fund and why it’s being established, New GX Capital founder and CEO…
25 Apr 48 min