DeepSeek: AI’s ‘Sputnik moment’
The Story
The Times
3.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 30 January 2025
⏱️ 33 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
A Chinese rival to ChatGPT wiped $700 billion from the value of the world’s largest tech companies in just one day. DeepSeek claims its free, open-source model is more cost-effective and efficient than its American rivals calling into question the dominance of Silicon Valley. One tech baron has even called it a ''Sputnik moment" in reference to the time when Russia surprised the US by launching the first satellite into orbit - which began the space race.
This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory
Guest: Danny Fortson, West Coast Correspondent, The Sunday Times.
Host: Manveen Rana.
Producer: Samantha Chantarasak.
Further listening: The Times Tech Podcast
Clips: Fox News, NBC News, MSNBC, CNN.
Photo: Getty Images.
Get in touch: thestory@thetimes.com
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | You want work to be less hard work. |
| 0:02.0 | You hear an ad for MHR, so you reach out. |
| 0:04.6 | We connect your department systems, which leads to real-time data sharing that uncoveres new insights, |
| 0:10.3 | which empower your decision makers and triple monthly sales, which leads to high fives and awkward hugs. |
| 0:17.5 | You say a big thank you. |
| 0:18.9 | We say you're welcome. |
| 0:21.0 | MHR, the science behind HR, payroll and finance. The science behind a new world of work. |
| 0:27.8 | Discover more at mhrr global.com. |
| 0:30.1 | Hey mate, what's with a giant pile of letters? Letters? Ah, my bill room. |
| 0:35.2 | Bill room? Yeah. Can't open them. Can't throw them out, so they go in the pile. |
| 0:39.6 | You've got a giant pile of unopened bills, big enough for a room, |
| 0:43.2 | and you don't want to open them because... |
| 0:45.6 | Don't want to know. |
| 0:46.3 | Right, well, maybe if you open them, you wouldn't have to sleep in the bath? |
| 0:49.5 | Yeah. |
| 0:50.2 | Study show our relationship with money is formed from the age of seven. That's why our expert Barclays team is here. |
| 0:56.1 | To help you take control of your money today, Barclays, make money work for you. |
| 1:04.1 | From the Times and the Sunday Times, this is the story. |
| 1:08.6 | I'm Manvine Rana. |
| 1:29.9 | Music This is the story. I'm Manvine Rana. Amid all the fanfare of the Trump inauguration, there was one abiding image that could come to define this administration, |
| 1:34.7 | one postcard to posterity from Trump 2.0. |
| 1:44.8 | We're seeing all the big names in tech and that room, the camera lingering on that remarkable picture. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Times, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of The Times and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.