A Microsoft analysis says Chinese startup DeepSeek is rapidly gaining users across developing nations, helped by free, open-source models and distribution through Chinese smartphones, narrowing parts of the global AI access gap. Overall generative-AI use reached 16.3% of the world’s population in the December quarter, up from 15.1%, though adoption in advanced economies is still growing nearly twice as fast as in developing markets. DeepSeek’s share was estimated at 89% in China and significant in countries where U.S. platforms face restrictions, including Belarus (56%), Cuba (49%) and Russia (43%). Some Western governments have sought to limit DeepSeek over security concerns; Microsoft has barred its own employees from using it. The report underscores how affordability and availability—not just model quality—are shaping AI’s global footprint and, potentially, China’s technological influence.
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