DeepSeek benefited from being open, free, and strategically distributed in regions often excluded from the first wave of AI adoption. This dynamic also highlights how open‑source AI can function as a geopolitical instrument, extending Chinese influence in areas where Western platforms cannot easily operate.
China’s artificial intelligence start-up Deepseek has quickly gained market share in many developing nations, surpassing US models that are popular in the West.
A report from Microsoft finds DeepSeek’s market share has reached 89% in China, 56% in Belarus, 49% in Cuba, 43% in Russia, 25% in Iran, and 23% in Syria. In many African countries including Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and Niger, DeepSeek’s market share was between 11% to 14%.
Uptake of DeepSeek AI in Canada, the US, the rest of North America, and Europe remains low.
Italy, Denmark, and the Czech Republic have banned government agencies from using the Chinese AI due to data security and cybersecurity concerns.
The surge in DeepSeek’s popularity outside of China could be attributed to restrictions on US services in many of these countries.
Its lack of subscription fees has “lowered the barrier for millions of users, especially in price‑sensitive regions,” according to the authors of the Microsoft’s report.
DeepSeek’s open-source and cost-efficient model challenges American platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. DeepSeek is also the default chatbot on Chinese-made phones from Huawei and others.
Global adoption of generative AI tools reached 16.3% of the world’s population in the three months to December.
24.7% of the working age population in the Global North is now using these tools, compared to only 14.1% in the Global South.
“Open‑source AI can function as a geopolitical instrument, extending Chinese influence in areas where Western platforms cannot easily operate,” the report said.
Source:
Microsoft Report: Global AI Adoption in 2025—A Widening Digital Divide, January 8, 2026 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/corporate-responsibility/topics/AI-Economy-Institute/reports/Global-AI-Adoption-2025/
Microsoft Blog: Global AI adoption in 2025 — A widening digital divide, January 8, 2026 https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2026/01/08/global-ai-adoption-in-2025/
Chan Ho-Him, Matt O’Brien, AP: DeepSeek’s AI gains traction in developing nations, Microsoft report says https://apnews.com/article/ai-deepseek-chatbot-china-microsoft-3ffc9b26f5798de8a7014fcd9bb343b0