Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company DeepSeek is expanding its focus on embedded robotics by investing in AI model development for robots. Analysts suggest that the company aims to build an ecosystem around AI that can make decisions and take actions in the real world, marking a shift in the next generation of technological competition.
According to a report from China’s Kechuangban Daily on October 14, DeepSeek has agreed to lead a seed round investment in the AI model development company WinverseAI. WinverseAI is valued at approximately $400 million, with DeepSeek investing tens of millions of dollars. Meituan is also reported to be investing in WinverseAI.
Founded this year by former Tencent scientist Hu Han, WinverseAI focuses on developing AI models that enable robots, including humanoids, to understand their surroundings and perform tasks. Rather than manufacturing robots, the company specializes in creating the intelligence that serves as the brain of these machines.
This investment follows DeepSeek's $21 million investment in robotics manufacturer Unitree (Yushukeji) two months ago. The expansion of investment from a company that excels in creating robot bodies to one that develops their intelligence is noteworthy.
DeepSeek's interest in the robotics sector is driven by the belief that the next competitive arena for AI will shift to the real world. While previous AI competitions have focused on understanding text and images, reasoning, and coding in digital spaces, the ability to perceive real environments and act accordingly is expected to become increasingly important.
For humanoids to effectively replace human workers in industrial settings, they require more than just walking and balancing capabilities. They need the intelligence to recognize objects, plan work sequences, and respond to unexpected situations. AI models for robots are crucial for implementing these capabilities.
Through its investments in Unitree's hardware technology and WinverseAI's model development capabilities, DeepSeek is positioning itself to access a technological ecosystem that encompasses both the body and brain of robots. Enhancing the inference speed and computational efficiency of AI models is also vital for enabling robots to assess their surroundings and move in real time. Ultimately, DeepSeek's ongoing investments are seen as a strategy to evolve AI from a tool that answers questions on screens to an intelligence that operates directly in the real world.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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