DeepSeek's chatbot's answer echoed China's official statements, saying the relationship between the world's two largest economies is one of the most important bilateral relationships globally. It said China is committed to developing ties with the U.S. based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

The buzz around Chinese AI startup DeepSeek began picking up steam earlier this month, when the startup released R1, its model that rivals OpenAI’s o1.

Will Apple integrate the DeepSeek chatbot in Apple Intelligence so it can roll out its iPhone AI in China? Some think so.

The next DeepSeek to disrupt the global artificial intelligence industry could also come from China. The country of 1.4 billion has seeded several promising AI startups and projects, while its leading internet players have spent years investing and developing the infrastructure to support such new ventures.