From Startup Playground to Corporate Dominance, and the Rise of Disruptive Startups Like Deepseek

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has undergone a dramatic transformation over past few years. What began as a playground for startups and academic researchers has now become a battleground for tech giants with deep pockets and vast infrastructure. The narrative that AI is no longer a startup game gained traction with the entry of OpenAI's ChatGPT, which showcased the power of large-scale models and the resources required to build them. However, the emergence of startups like Deepseek has challenged this notion, proving that innovation and agility can still disrupt even the most entrenched players. The Early Days: AI as a Startup Game In the early 2010s, AI was largely the domain of startups and academic institutions. The field was still in its infancy, and the barriers to entry were relatively low. Startups could experiment with machine learning algorithms, build niche applications, and attract venture capital funding based on the promise of AI's potential. Companies like DeepMind,...