China’s DeepSeek whose low-cost AI model shocked tech industry plans to double its workforce

Chinese AI company DeepSeek has announced plans to double its workforce following a $7.4 billion fundraising round that valued it at over $50 billion. The company gained attention earlier for developing a low-cost AI model that surprised the tech industry. Major institutional investors in the round included Tencent and CATL.

DeepSeek's upcoming hiring expansion will significantly increase its employee count, though the exact current number of employees was not disclosed in the report. The company's valuation of over $50 billion places it among the most valuable AI startups globally. The $7.4 billion raise is one of the largest in the AI sector this year.

The workforce doubling signals DeepSeek's ambition to scale its operations and compete more aggressively in the global AI market. The involvement of Tencent, a Chinese tech giant, and CATL, a leading battery manufacturer, highlights the broad investor interest in AI capabilities. The move comes as Chinese AI companies increasingly challenge their US counterparts in both funding and talent acquisition.