DeepSeek is rumored to be working on in-house AI chips, would compete with NVIDIA

Chinese AI company DeepSeek is reportedly working on a new "semiconductor" venture, a new in-house AI chip that would compete directly with the likes of NVIDIA, AMD, and other companies.

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In a new report from DigiTimes, we're learning that DeepSeek is looking into making its own AI chips, adding that the company has started a "major recruitment drive" hiring semiconductor experts to lead the AI chip project. Chinese companies have multiple hurdles in their way, the biggest being securing the semiconductor equipment and processes because of global sanctions.

The only chip access the likes of DeepSeek has access to would be SMIC, but they're many years behind the rest of the semiconductor industry, namely TSMC.

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DeepSeek isn't the only AI startup looking into developing its own in-house AI chips, with the likes of OpenAI also looking into diving into the AI chip market.