A U.S. expert in artificial intelligence (AI) has commended AI Chatbot DeepSeek R1 for its open-source nature, emphasizing its role in promoting tech equity, energy efficiency, and global collaboration.
Shashank Tiwari, co-founder and CEO of the startup Uno.ai, which leverages AI agents for governance, risk, and compliance solutions, highlighted the benefits of DeepSeek R1's open-source technology. His company, which tests various AI models, finds DeepSeek R1 particularly valuable due to its open-source framework.
"We like the open source models because they're free, they're open. We can extend them, we can do more things on it, fine tune them as it's called. But also, we learn newer techniques, and we have an option to go back and contribute. It's not just taking from them, but you know, we can go back and give back to the community," said Tiwari.
Tiwari acknowledged that DeepSeek's AI model, celebrated for its efficiency, low cost, and open-source development, has also sparked fear-driven narratives framing it as part of a rivalry between China and the U.S. However, he views it differently, seeing it as the work of tech enthusiasts dedicated to innovation and accessibility.
"It's not like they are trying to hold you a slave to their technology. In fact, they build something cool, they put it out there and with very permissive licensing. They have said take it and do whatever you want to do. And I would like for the entire world to kind of do that," he said.
Tiwari also highlighted DeepSeek's energy efficiency, noting that it was developed without relying on the most advanced, energy-intensive chips. Unlike big tech companies that invest billions in high-powered processors and energy-consuming data centers, DeepSeek offers a more sustainable alternative.
"Each one of these generations of faster, better, smarter recompute is more energy hungry. The question is like, if you're able to find energy efficient alternatives of any shape, form, sizes, I think it should be encouraged," said Tiwari.
He added that open-source technology like DeepSeek can enhance tech equity, enabling countries without the resources to purchase high-end chips to still participate in the AI revolution. By lowering barriers to entry, DeepSeek exemplifies how open-source innovation can foster inclusivity and global progress in the AI field.
AI expert lauds DeepSeek for promoting inclusive, sustainable tech
China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Sunday launched new year military training across all units, with forces from the army, navy, air force, rocket force, and armed police conducting intensive combat-oriented exercises to boost battlefield readiness.
On the first training day, a brigade of the Army's 79th Group Army conducted integrated combat-oriented training at an outdoor training ground. The troops continuously executed over 10 individual and squad training subjects from the training outline, focusing on enhancing their battlefield adaptability and response capabilities.
Naval forces were also active. Along the coast of the Yellow Sea, the Navy's Type 055 guided-missile destroyer Nanchang, in coordination with destroyer Xining, missile frigate Weifang, and other destroyers and frigates, carried out subjects such as naval gunnery landborne and seaborne target practices, and live firing of anti-frogman lethal rounds. They also conducted fleet air defense exercises in coordination with naval aviation, testing the troops' ability to transition from training to combat.
"Now, there is more combat-oriented training that involves the full process and all elements, aligning with future naval warfare. Whether it's basic training or coordinated training, it is no longer single-subject, single-ship, or single-platform. Now it is system-wide linkage, integration of war and training, and multi-subject fusion, testing the combat effectiveness of the ships under complex conditions," said Fang Wanhao, an officer with a destroyer flotilla of the PLA Navy.
The Air Force, involving multiple branches such as aviation, surface-to-air missile, and radar troops, conducted joint training exercises with multiple aircraft types in realistic battlefield environments to hone their combat skills. The Joint Logistics Support Force's motor transport brigade focused on difficult and critical subjects related to transport and support under extreme cold conditions. By fully integrating real combat scenarios and setting up complex emergency situations, the training aimed to enhance the officers' and soldiers' emergency response capabilities in extreme environments.
On the first training day of the new year, officers and soldiers of the People's Armed Police Yunnan Corps conducted specialized, intensive training for subjects including emergency rescue and counter-terrorism capture and annihilation, adhering to a combat-oriented training philosophy.
The Rocket Force deployed its units across multiple routes and positions, setting up formations on various training grounds. They simultaneously conducted combat-oriented training on difficult and critical subjects such as cross-regional maneuver and rapid fire assault, promoting the efficient integration of personnel with weapons and equipment, and the information network system.
"For the new year's training, we will focus on hard and intensive training closely aligned with operational missions. We will strengthen adversarial testing at extreme boundaries and in complex environments, enhance the support of technological means, and forge the superior skills to be one second faster and one move better than the enemy. We will truly achieve readiness at all times and the ability to fight at any moment, ensuring new breakthroughs in improving the level of combat-oriented training readiness," said Li Zhiyong, a PLA Rocket Force officer.
Chinese People's Liberation Army opens 2026 training season to boost combat readiness
