Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has reopened access to its core programming interface (API) after a nearly three-week suspension, resuming a critical service for wider adoption of its popular AI model, Bloomberg reports.
The move comes as competition intensifies in China’s burgeoning AI industry, with Alibaba also unveiling its latest model this week.
The 20-month-old company, which made waves in January with an AI platform challenging OpenAI’s capabilities, cited capacity shortages as the reason for suspending API top-ups in early February. While top-ups have now resumed, a DeepSeek representative acknowledged ongoing strain on server resources during daytime hours via a WeChat group chat.
DeepSeek’s decision to reactivate API access coincides with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.’s launch of a preview for its QwQ-Max model, highlighting the escalating competition within China’s AI sector. Alibaba recently pledged a substantial $53 billion investment over three years to bolster its cloud computing and AI infrastructure, signaling a significant shift for the e-commerce giant.
Furthermore, Alibaba announced plans to open-source QwQ-Max on Tuesday, intensifying the competition with DeepSeek and other developers like Baidu Inc. and startups like Zhipu.
DeepSeek’s emergence has injected fresh energy into the Chinese tech landscape and fueled a rally in mainland and Hong Kong stocks. The company’s services have been inundated with demand since it launched an AI chatbot claimed to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT, developed at a fraction of the cost. Its models have found widespread adoption among Chinese firms across various industries.
However, DeepSeek’s growing influence has also attracted scrutiny, with foreign governments, including Australia and the US, taking steps to restrict its usage due to security concerns.
