Nvidia shares dropped 14% in premarket trading on Monday, leading a widespread sell-off in global technology stocks after Chinese AI startup DeepSeek revealed advancements that raised concerns about the competitive landscape in artificial intelligence. The developments are seen as a challenge to the dominance of U.S. companies in the sector, heightening market volatility. DeepSeek announced the launch of a free, open-source large-language model in late December, claiming it was developed in just two months at a cost of under $6 million.
The model’s rapid development and comparatively low cost have sparked questions about the high levels of investment being funneled into AI by major U.S. technology firms. Last week, DeepSeek released an additional reasoning model, which reportedly outperformed OpenAI’s latest model in various third-party evaluations, further intensifying competitive fears. The fallout extended beyond Nvidia, which has been a key beneficiary of the AI boom. In European markets, chipmakers ASML and ASM International saw declines of 10.32% and 14.32% respectively, while Japanese chip-related stocks also posted losses during Asian trading hours.
Analysts attribute the drop to concerns that DeepSeek’s cost-effective models might disrupt the profitability of companies heavily invested in AI infrastructure. Srini Pajjuri, a semiconductor analyst at Raymond James, noted that DeepSeek’s accomplishments could accelerate efforts by U.S. hyperscalers, such as Amazon and Microsoft, to capitalize on their advanced infrastructure. These firms rely heavily on graphics processing units (GPUs), a market where Nvidia remains the dominant player, to train large AI models.
“DeepSeek’s ability to deliver a competitive model with limited resources underscores the need for hyperscalers to emphasize their existing advantages,” Pajjuri said. However, skepticism surrounds the feasibility of DeepSeek’s claims. Analysts at Bernstein questioned whether the $6 million development cost included broader expenses, such as prior research and experimentation. While acknowledging the impressive performance of DeepSeek’s models, they cautioned against panic, labeling fears of a collapse in the AI infrastructure industry as “overblown.”
Citi analysts echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that while DeepSeek’s advancements have raised concerns, U.S. companies maintain a competitive edge due to their access to cutting-edge chips. They also highlighted the significance of President Donald Trump’s recently announced $500 billion Stargate AI initiative, which underscores the importance of continued investment in advanced technologies. Despite the market turbulence, analysts predict that leading AI firms will continue relying on advanced GPUs to distinguish themselves from emerging competitors. – By MENA Newswire News Desk