Guan Cha Zhe Wang·2026-01-13 10:30Core Insights - Microsoft warns that U.S. AI companies are being surpassed by Chinese competitors in the race for users outside the West, with China's low-cost open-source models being a significant advantage [1][2] - Microsoft's research indicates that DeepSeek's R1 model has accelerated AI adoption in emerging markets, particularly in the Global South, allowing China to surpass the U.S. in the global market share of open-source AI models [1][2] - The competition is intensifying, with DeepSeek achieving significant market shares in countries like Ethiopia (18%) and Zimbabwe (17%) [3] Group 1 - Microsoft President Brad Smith emphasizes the need for international investment in African data centers to compete with heavily subsidized Chinese firms [3][4] - DeepSeek has gained substantial market shares in countries under U.S. sanctions, such as Belarus (56%), Cuba (49%), and Russia (43%) [4] - The application of AI is currently concentrated in developed countries, with only 14% of the population in Global South countries using AI compared to nearly a quarter in Global North countries [4][5] Group 2 - Smith warns that neglecting regions like Africa could lead to the emergence of AI systems that do not align with democratic values [5] - DeepSeek's R1 model was trained at a cost of $5.5 million, significantly lower than the expenses incurred by U.S. companies like OpenAI [5][6] - OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman acknowledges the potential flaws in the company's closed strategy and hints at a possible shift towards more open models in response to competition from DeepSeek [6]