Overview
- Microsoft reports DeepSeek’s R1 holds 56% market share in Belarus, 49% in Cuba, and 43% in Russia, with measurable gains across the global south.
- The model has captured 18% of the market in Ethiopia and 17% in Zimbabwe, reflecting demand for lower-cost, open-source options.
- Microsoft attributes Chinese gains to subsidized pricing and open models that undercut paid, closed U.S. offerings.
- CNBC’s Deirdre Bosa reports U.S. tech leaders are leveraging the China risk narrative to push Washington for faster approvals and regulatory flexibility on AI data centers.
- Data cited on CNBC shows more than $64.4 billion in U.S. data center projects have been blocked or delayed over two years, while Chinese executives are reportedly downplaying progress to preserve access to Nvidia chips.