Latest news with #DeepSeekAI
Mint
11-06-2025
- Health
- Mint
Brave Chinese voices have begun to question the hype around AI
Against the odds, some in China are questioning the top-down push to get aboard the artificial intelligence (AI) hype bandwagon. In a tightly controlled media environment where these experts can easily be drowned out, it's important to listen to them. Across the US and Europe, loud voices inside and outside the tech industry are urging caution about AI's rapid acceleration, pointing to labour market threats or more catastrophic risks. But in China, this chorus has been largely muted. Until now. Also Read: Parmy Olson: The DeepSeek AI revolution has a security problem China has the highest global share of people who say AI tools have more benefits than drawbacks, and they've shown an eagerness to embrace it. It's hard to overstate the exuberance in the tech sector since the emergence of DeepSeek's market-moving reasoning model earlier this year. Innovations and updates have been unfurling at breakneck speed and the technology is being widely adopted across the country. But not everyone's on board. Publicly, state-backed media has lauded the widespread adoption of DeepSeek across hundreds of hospitals in China. But a group of medical researchers tied to Tsinghua University published a paper in the medical journal JAMA in late April gently questioning if this was happening 'too fast, too soon." It argued that healthcare institutions are facing pressure from 'social media discourse" to implement DeepSeek in order to not appear 'technologically backward." Doctors are increasingly reporting patients who 'present DeepSeek-generated treatment recommendations and insist on adherence to these AI-formulated care plans." The team argued that as much as AI has shown potential to help in the medical field, this rushed rollout carries risks. They are right to be cautious. Also Read: The agentic AI revolution isn't the future, it's already here It's not just the doctors who are raising doubts. A separate paper from AI scientists at the same university found last month that some of the breakthroughs behind reasoning models—including DeepSeek's R1, as well as similar offerings from Western tech giants—may not be as revolutionary as some have claimed. They found that the novel training method used for this new crop 'is not as powerful as previously believed." The method used to power them 'doesn't enable the model to solve problems that the base model can't solve," one of the scientists added. This means the innovations underpinning what has been widely dubbed as the next step—toward achieving so-called Artificial General Intelligence—may not be as much of a leap as some had hoped. This research from Tsinghua holds extra weight: The institution is one of the pillars of the domestic AI scene, long churning out both keystone research and ambitious startup founders. Another easily overlooked word of warning came from a speech by Zhu Songchun, dean of the Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence, linked to Peking University. Zhu said that for the nation to remain competitive, it needs more substantive research and less laudatory headlines, according to an in-depth English-language analysis of his remarks published by the independent China Media Project. These cautious voices are a rare break from the broader narrative. But in a landscape where the deployment of AI has long been government priority, it makes them especially noteworthy. The more President Xi Jinping signals that embracing AI technology is important, the less likely people are to publicly question it. This can lead to less overt forms of backlash, like social media hashtags on Weibo poking fun at chatbots' errors. Or it can result in data centres quietly sitting unused across the country as local governments race to please Beijing—as well as a mountain of PR stunts. Also Read: AI as infrastructure: India must develop the right tech Perhaps the biggest headwind facing the sector, despite the massive amounts of spending, is that AI still hasn't altered the earnings outlooks at most of the Chinese tech firms. The money can't lie. This doesn't mean that AI in China is just propaganda. The conflict extends far beyond its tech sector—US firms are also guilty of getting carried away promoting the technology. But multiple things can be true at once. It's undeniable that DeepSeek has fuelled new excitement, research and major developments across the AI ecosystem. But it's also been used as a distraction from the domestic macro-economic pains that predated the ongoing trade war. Without guard-rails, the risk of rushing out the technology is greater than just investors losing money—people's health is at stake. From Hangzhou to Silicon Valley, the more we ignore the voices questioning the AI hype bandwagon, the more we blind ourselves to consequences of a potential derailment. ©Bloomberg The author is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asia tech.
Globe and Mail
04-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
3 surprising market winners in 2025
Investors brave enough to peek at their account statements know that it's been a rocky 2025. Even before tariff-related volatility, DeepSeek AI's launch clouded the major technology theme that powered the market in 2023 and 2024, as AI stocks entered a bear market in March. But there have been equity gains to be had in 2025. When I look at year-to-date returns across indexes, I notice a few surprising stars: European stocks, Latin America, and real estate investment trusts. The common thread that connects the three? All had been underperformers in prior years. European stocks have been made great again Morningstar's European stock index is riding high this year, as the macroeconomic environment has been improving. The financial-services sector, in particular, is a key beneficiary. Then there's Germany's newfound interest in deficit spending and the continent's focus on military self-sufficiency, spurred by the Donald Trump administration. US tariff announcements caused sharp selloffs in Europe, but the recovery has been V-shaped. A weakening US dollar has magnified European equity gains for unhedged US investors. It doesn't hurt that the European Central Bank and the Bank of England have actually been cutting interest rates. My research and investment colleagues have called Europe 'the most attractive developed-markets region globally,' making European stocks worthy of inclusion in a diversified portfolio. Latin America: Can the revival last? South of the US border, stocks are rallying. Morningstar's Latin American equities index is up more than 22% so far in 2025, thanks to Brazil, Mexico, and the smaller markets of Colombia and Chile. Here, too, a weakening dollar has boosted equity returns for unhedged US investors. This marks quite a turnaround from losses of more than 25% in US dollar terms in 2024. Brazil, for its part, faces serious fiscal challenges. In Mexico, sentiment was dented by election results on both sides of the border. Coming into the year, my colleagues on Morningstar's research and investment team identified Brazil as the highest potential global equity market for the coming 10 years. Latin American stocks are volatile but could hold more upside. REITs, especially those outside the US, outperform Real estate investment trusts are also up double digits this year outside the US. Property sectors in many geographies are vibrant, bolstered by low or falling interest rates. What about the US? The Morningstar US REIT Index is well behind the Morningstar Global Markets ex-US REIT Index in 2025, but it's in positive territory, ahead of the broad US equity market. US interest rates that appear to be staying higher for longer are seen as a negative for real estate. That said, REIT yields are attractive, and property is a 'real asset' that can act as an inflation hedge. Diversification assures exposure to unloved asset classes US mega-cap technology-oriented stocks did so well for so long that many investors thought they were the only game in town. Coming into 2025, it was hard to envision how the Magnificent Seven could ever be knocked off their perch. The rise of artificial intelligence, widely viewed as 'bigger than the internet,' seemed inexorable. No one saw DeepSeek AI coming, and few predicted the degree to which tariffs would disrupt. Gravity is a powerful force in investing, too. US stocks, especially on the growth side of the market, posted returns in 2023 and 2024 that far exceeded their historical levels. Their losses in 2025 can be seen as a reversion to the mean, or a return to long-term averages. The surprising winners of 2025 show that investment performance is dynamic. Contrarian bets can be profitable, though they can also take time to pay off. Investors who diversify by geography, style, and market capitalization are also well placed to benefit from leadership change. ___
The Hill
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
3 surprising market winners in 2025
Investors brave enough to peek at their account statements know that it's been a rocky 2025. Even before tariff-related volatility, DeepSeek AI's launch clouded the major technology theme that powered the market in 2023 and 2024, as AI stocks entered a bear market in March. But there have been equity gains to be had in 2025. When I look at year-to-date returns across indexes, I notice a few surprising stars: European stocks, Latin America, and real estate investment trusts. The common thread that connects the three? All had been underperformers in prior years. Morningstar's European stock index is riding high this year, as the macroeconomic environment has been improving. The financial-services sector, in particular, is a key beneficiary. Then there's Germany's newfound interest in deficit spending and the continent's focus on military self-sufficiency, spurred by the Donald Trump administration. US tariff announcements caused sharp selloffs in Europe, but the recovery has been V-shaped. A weakening US dollar has magnified European equity gains for unhedged US investors. It doesn't hurt that the European Central Bank and the Bank of England have actually been cutting interest rates. My research and investment colleagues have called Europe 'the most attractive developed-markets region globally,' making European stocks worthy of inclusion in a diversified portfolio. South of the US border, stocks are rallying. Morningstar's Latin American equities index is up more than 22% so far in 2025, thanks to Brazil, Mexico, and the smaller markets of Colombia and Chile. Here, too, a weakening dollar has boosted equity returns for unhedged US investors. This marks quite a turnaround from losses of more than 25% in US dollar terms in 2024. Brazil, for its part, faces serious fiscal challenges. In Mexico, sentiment was dented by election results on both sides of the border. Coming into the year, my colleagues on Morningstar's research and investment team identified Brazil as the highest potential global equity market for the coming 10 years. Latin American stocks are volatile but could hold more upside. Real estate investment trusts are also up double digits this year outside the US. Property sectors in many geographies are vibrant, bolstered by low or falling interest rates. What about the US? The Morningstar US REIT Index is well behind the Morningstar Global Markets ex-US REIT Index in 2025, but it's in positive territory, ahead of the broad US equity market. US interest rates that appear to be staying higher for longer are seen as a negative for real estate. That said, REIT yields are attractive, and property is a 'real asset' that can act as an inflation hedge. US mega-cap technology-oriented stocks did so well for so long that many investors thought they were the only game in town. Coming into 2025, it was hard to envision how the Magnificent Seven could ever be knocked off their perch. The rise of artificial intelligence, widely viewed as 'bigger than the internet,' seemed inexorable. No one saw DeepSeek AI coming, and few predicted the degree to which tariffs would disrupt. Gravity is a powerful force in investing, too. US stocks, especially on the growth side of the market, posted returns in 2023 and 2024 that far exceeded their historical levels. Their losses in 2025 can be seen as a reversion to the mean, or a return to long-term averages. The surprising winners of 2025 show that investment performance is dynamic. Contrarian bets can be profitable, though they can also take time to pay off. Investors who diversify by geography, style, and market capitalization are also well placed to benefit from leadership change. ___ This article was provided to The Associated Press by Morningstar. For more markets content, go to Dan Lefkovitz is a strategist for Morningstar Indexes
Hamilton Spectator
04-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
3 surprising market winners in 2025
Investors brave enough to peek at their account statements know that it's been a rocky 2025. Even before tariff-related volatility, DeepSeek AI's launch clouded the major technology theme that powered the market in 2023 and 2024, as AI stocks entered a bear market in March. But there have been equity gains to be had in 2025. When I look at year-to-date returns across indexes , I notice a few surprising stars: European stocks, Latin America, and real estate investment trusts. The common thread that connects the three? All had been underperformers in prior years. European stocks have been made great again Morningstar's European stock index is riding high this year, as the macroeconomic environment has been improving. The financial-services sector, in particular, is a key beneficiary. Then there's Germany's newfound interest in deficit spending and the continent's focus on military self-sufficiency, spurred by the Donald Trump administration. US tariff announcements caused sharp selloffs in Europe, but the recovery has been V-shaped. A weakening US dollar has magnified European equity gains for unhedged US investors. It doesn't hurt that the European Central Bank and the Bank of England have actually been cutting interest rates. My research and investment colleagues have called Europe 'the most attractive developed-markets region globally,' making European stocks worthy of inclusion in a diversified portfolio. Latin America: Can the revival last? South of the US border, stocks are rallying. Morningstar's Latin American equities index is up more than 22% so far in 2025, thanks to Brazil, Mexico, and the smaller markets of Colombia and Chile. Here, too, a weakening dollar has boosted equity returns for unhedged US investors. This marks quite a turnaround from losses of more than 25% in US dollar terms in 2024. Brazil, for its part, faces serious fiscal challenges. In Mexico, sentiment was dented by election results on both sides of the border. Coming into the year, my colleagues on Morningstar's research and investment team identified Brazil as the highest potential global equity market for the coming 10 years. Latin American stocks are volatile but could hold more upside. REITs, especially those outside the US, outperform Real estate investment trusts are also up double digits this year outside the US. Property sectors in many geographies are vibrant, bolstered by low or falling interest rates. What about the US? The Morningstar US REIT Index is well behind the Morningstar Global Markets ex-US REIT Index in 2025, but it's in positive territory, ahead of the broad US equity market. US interest rates that appear to be staying higher for longer are seen as a negative for real estate. That said, REIT yields are attractive, and property is a 'real asset' that can act as an inflation hedge. Diversification assures exposure to unloved asset classes US mega-cap technology-oriented stocks did so well for so long that many investors thought they were the only game in town. Coming into 2025, it was hard to envision how the Magnificent Seven could ever be knocked off their perch. The rise of artificial intelligence, widely viewed as 'bigger than the internet,' seemed inexorable. No one saw DeepSeek AI coming, and few predicted the degree to which tariffs would disrupt. Gravity is a powerful force in investing, too. US stocks, especially on the growth side of the market, posted returns in 2023 and 2024 that far exceeded their historical levels. Their losses in 2025 can be seen as a reversion to the mean, or a return to long-term averages. The surprising winners of 2025 show that investment performance is dynamic. Contrarian bets can be profitable , though they can also take time to pay off. Investors who diversify by geography, style, and market capitalization are also well placed to benefit from leadership change. ___ This article was provided to The Associated Press by Morningstar. For more markets content, go to . Dan Lefkovitz is a strategist for Morningstar Indexes
Washington Post
04-06-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
3 surprising market winners in 2025
Investors brave enough to peek at their account statements know that it's been a rocky 2025. Even before tariff-related volatility, DeepSeek AI's launch clouded the major technology theme that powered the market in 2023 and 2024, as AI stocks entered a bear market in March. But there have been equity gains to be had in 2025. When I look at year-to-date returns across indexes , I notice a few surprising stars: European stocks, Latin America, and real estate investment trusts.
