DeepSeek Freezes Out US Chipmakers, Gives Huawei Early V4 Access
DeepSeek granted Chinese firms like Huawei early access to its upcoming V4 model while shutting out AMD and Nvidia.
DeepSeek is playing favorites — and American chipmakers aren't on the list.
The Chinese AI lab, which sent shockwaves through global markets last year with its surprisingly capable low-cost model, has declined to share its upcoming V4 model with US chip giants AMD and Nvidia. Instead, it handed early access to Chinese companies, including Huawei.
The move signals a clear strategic alignment. DeepSeek is prioritizing domestic partnerships over relationships with the American semiconductor industry — the same companies that design the GPUs powering most of the world's AI infrastructure.
For Nvidia and AMD, the snub stings. Both have been navigating US export restrictions that limit what chips they can sell to China. Now the hottest Chinese AI player is returning the cold shoulder.
Huawei, already building its own AI accelerator ecosystem, stands to benefit most from the inside track.