DeepSeek V4 Delay Shows Shift to China Chips, CCTV Account Says

DeepSeek’s delayed release of its V4 model points to a strategic shift toward deeper integration with China’s domestic chip ecosystem, according to Yuyuantantian, a social media account affiliated with the government-controlled China Central Television.

Rather than prioritizing rapid iteration, DeepSeek spent months reworking its software stack to optimize performance on Huawei Technologies Co.’s Ascend chips, moving beyond basic compatibility toward hardware-specific tuning, the account said on Sunday. The approach aligns with Beijing’s push for greater self-reliance across the AI supply chain as access to advanced foreign chips tightens.