Deepseek would have spent 266 times more than it claims

The Chinese startup Deepseek has been a sensation for months by claiming to have developed its AI for only $ 6 million. A survey today reveals a real investment of 1.6 billion.
The Chinese startup Deepseek, who had caused a sensation by announcing that she has developed her AI model for only $ 6 million, now sees her communication called into question. An in -depth analysis of SemiAnalysis reveals a total investment of $ 1.6 billion, 266 times more than the figure initially advanced.
A colossal infrastructure hidden
Far from the image of frugal startup, Deepseek has an impressive technological arsenal: 50,000 GPU Nvidia Hopper, including 20,000 H800 and H100 units.
To put these figures in perspective, it is the equivalent of the calculation power of a dozen modern data centers.
The investment in equipment alone represents $ 944 million in operating costs, according to estimates of SemiAnalysis.
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Deepseek: we tested censorship practiced by the Chinese state
The truth behind the 6 million
The figure of $ 6 million, widely publicized, in reality represented only a tiny part of the costs: only the pre-training phase of the model.
This selective communication has hidden the hundreds of millions invested in:
- Research and development
- The improvement of models
- Data processing
- Global infrastructure
- Researchers’ salaries (some exceeding $ 1.3 million annually)
Deepseek, resulting from the High-Flyer hedge fund, benefits from a self-funded structure which allows it great flexibility. The company manages its own data centers, unlike the majority of startups that depend on external cloud services. This autonomy represents a major strategic advantage, but implies considerable investments.
The aggressive recruitment of talents in continental China, with wages exceeding those of giants in the sector, also testifies to a massive investment strategy. The company particularly targets graduates of prestigious institutions such as the University of Beijing and the University of Zhejiang.
To calculate the actual difference between the figures announced and reality: 1.6 billion / 6 million = 266.67. In other words, the real investment is 266 times higher than the figures communicated initially.
This revelation confirms the words of Elon Musk: developing a competitive AI requires investments encrypting in billions of dollars. Deepseek is no exception to this rule, despite its initial communication, suggesting the opposite.
The lesson is clear: in the world of AI, there is no miracle shortcut. Technological advances require massive investments, whether visible or not. This story recalls the importance of a critical look at the announcements that are too beautiful to be true in the technological sector.
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Deepseek: a security flaw could expose your data on the Internet