The global tech world continues to watch closely for DeepSeek’s next big artificial intelligence release. For weeks, experts and investors have waited for the Chinese startup’s V4 model, which many see as a key test of China’s rapid progress in AI.
Expectations run high after the company’s earlier success.
Speculation Grows Over Chips Powering New Model
More than a year ago, DeepSeek grabbed worldwide attention with its low-cost chatbot that matched top US rivals. Yet the much-anticipated V4 model has still not appeared, despite persistent rumours. Analysts now focus on which computer chips the company used to train and run the system — advanced US designs or homegrown Chinese alternatives.
“It is important to know because it signals China’s AI self-sufficiency path,” Wei Sun, principal AI analyst at Counterpoint Research, told AFP. Tech outlet The Information reported that V4 can run on Huawei’s latest chips. If true, this marks a major step for China in reducing reliance on restricted Nvidia technology from the United States. Large Chinese firms like Alibaba, ByteDance, and Tencent reportedly placed big orders for Huawei chips ahead of the launch.
V4 Release Could Shake Global Tech Valuations
DeepSeek first rose to fame in early 2025 with its R1 chatbot, built on the V3 model. President Donald Trump even called it a “wake-up call” for American companies.
Experts predict that the multimodal V4, capable of generating text, images, and video, could once again pressure US tech stocks. “I expect the upcoming DeepSeek V4 release will be a highly capable, open-source model that handles massive context at a fraction of the cost,” said Stephen Wu of Carthage Capital.
However, moving away from Nvidia chips demands major re-engineering and may slow progress. While some reports suggest smuggling of advanced chips, Nvidia denies seeing any evidence. The long wait for V4 highlights the real challenges China faces in building advanced AI without full access to top US hardware. Success with domestic chips would signal a clear shift in the global tech balance.
