Bond.az reports that DeepSeek has told prospective investors it will prioritize artificial general intelligence (AGI) research over near-term commercialization. The startup is valued at about $45 billion.
Founder Liang Wenfeng said the company will continue developing open-source AI models while pursuing AGI.
DeepSeek is seeking around $10 billion in what could be one of the largest first-time fundraising rounds by a Chinese tech startup.
Potential investors include state-backed National Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund, Tencent, IDG Capital, and Monolith Capital.
The Hangzhou-based startup stunned the global AI industry in 2025 with a low-cost AI model. Talks are ongoing and details may change.
