AI
Imagine implementing a new AI in your company to create content, optimize SEO texts, or make data-driven marketing decisions. But later, you realize: the information is filtered or manipulated, the data is stored on insecure servers, and no one can tell you exactly where the content comes from. Would you continue using this tool – or even recommend it?
This is the issue with DeepSeek, a new AI from China that is being promoted as an alternative to ChatGPT. Since early 2025, this language model has been making headlines, claiming to be more powerful, affordable, and efficient. However, a closer look reveals significant risks – especially for SEO, data security, and your entire marketing strategy.
At WEVENTURE Performance, we also evaluated this new AI. But after a thorough analysis, we made our decision: DeepSeek has no place in our operations. Why? Because we want to offer the highest quality, transparency, and data security for our clients – and DeepSeek simply fails to meet these standards.
Since the release of the DeepSeek R1 language model, industry experts have been debating whether this Chinese AI startup represents a real competitor to OpenAI—or if the hype is greater than the reality.
DeepSeek is a Chinese AI startup founded in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, the creator of the AI hedge fund High-Flyer. On January 20, 2025, the company introduced its DeepSeek R1 language model, which is said to be comparable to OpenAI’s GPT-4 – despite (allegedly) costing less than $6 million to develop.
For comparison: OpenAI and Google invest billions in their AI models, while DeepSeek claims to have created a competitive product with just a fraction of that budget.
The launch of DeepSeek R1 has sent shockwaves through the tech industry. Nvidia was hit particularly hard: the US chip manufacturer experienced a historic 17% stock drop, wiping out $589 billion in market value – the largest single-day loss of any company in Wall Street history.
The reason? DeepSeek claims to be significantly more efficient in handling computing power, requiring fewer high-end GPUs. If true, this could impact long-term demand for Nvidia’s specialized AI chips.
However, not all experts see DeepSeek as a serious threat to Western AI companies. Some analysts warn against exaggerated market reactions, drawing parallels to the Dotcom bubble: new players emerge, the hype is massive, but not every model delivers on its promises in the long run. Others argue that more efficient AI models could push the industry forward—but only if they truly perform as advertised.
One thing is certain: DeepSeek has managed to position itself as a serious contender in the AI space within just a few weeks. But the big question remains: Is this company truly a game-changer—or just a cleverly orchestrated hype?
At WEVENTURE, we say: No matter how efficient or affordable this tool may be, there are (currently) too many red flags for us to consider it a responsible or high-quality choice for marketing.
Google prioritizes high-quality content – but above all, trustworthy content. If your website contains misinformation or distorted statements, your visibility will take a serious hit.
Why does this happen? It’s simple: Google has a vested interest in providing users with reliable information. If people consistently encounter false or incomplete content in search results, they lose trust in Google – and may switch to alternatives like Bing. To prevent this, Google enforces strict quality guidelines, fact-checking, and algorithms that identify and downgrade unreliable content.
The Problem with DeepSeek: DeepSeek operates under Chinese censorship regulations. Topics such as human rights, politics, and economics are either filtered or manipulated.
A NewsGuard study raised serious concerns about DeepSeek’s accuracy. In 83 % of cases, the chatbot provided incorrect or completely false information, ranking second-to-last among eleven tested AI models.
Key findings from the analysis:
For comparison: Other AI models like ChatGPT or Claude have an average error rate of 62 % – still high, but significantly better than DeepSeek.
Marketing relies on trust—and trust depends on reliable information. If you publish content based on manipulated or false data, your SEO rankings and brand credibility are at risk.
Data is the core of any digital marketing strategy—whether for SEO, SEA, or personalized advertising campaigns. Access to the right data enables better targeting and smarter decision-making. But here’s the issue with DeepSeek: Nobody knows exactly where and how user data is processed and stored.
DeepSeek stores user data on servers in China, raising major concerns about data security and privacy. Under China’s cybersecurity laws, authorities can access stored data without user consent. The potential consequences should be obvious.
Governments are already taking action: Australia has banned DeepSeek on government devices, citing it as an unacceptable security risk. However, private use remains permitted.
In Europe, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is non-negotiable. Businesses must ensure that:
✅ Personal data is processed transparently.
✅ Stored securely.
✅ Not shared with third parties without consent.
🚨 DeepSeek does not meet these standards.
❌ No clear information on data processing.
❌ No guarantee that data won’t be shared with third parties.
❌ Potential violations of European privacy laws.
Many businesses handle sensitive customer data—whether in performance marketing, market research, or CRM systems. Imagine if confidential client information were stored on a server beyond your control.
At WEVENTURE, we stand for data security, transparency, and responsibility. We cannot afford to work with an AI that lacks proven security and GDPR compliance.
While OpenAI and Google offer clear privacy policies and allow users to request data deletion, DeepSeek lacks a transparent way to remove stored data.
❌ Businesses have no control over how their data is used.
❌ It’s unclear how long user data remains stored.
❌ Personal information could remain accessible indefinitely.
A powerful AI should support marketing teams, provide inspiration, and make processes more efficient. But this is where DeepSeek falls short: it lacks key features essential for modern digital marketing.
Modern AI models like ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini are multimodal—meaning they can analyze and generate text, images, and audio. DeepSeek, however, lags behind significantly in this area.
ChatGPT allows for custom instructions and enterprise AI solutions, enabling brands to develop their own unique voice. At WEVENTURE Performance, we are using this feature a lot to tailor our content specifically to our client’s needs. DeepSeek, on the other hand, is rigid and offers little flexibility in adapting content to a brand’s individual tone and style.
In digital marketing, trust and transparency are essential. Companies need to ensure that the tools they use are reliable, traceable, and ethically sound. With DeepSeek, however, major concerns over transparency make it difficult to trust this AI model.
One of the biggest problems with DeepSeek is its lack of transparency regarding its training data. Reputable AI models disclose their data sources to establish trust and accountability. OpenAI’s GPT-4 for example is trained on publicly available data, licensed content, and curated datasets, with clear rules for removing sensitive information. DeepSeek, however, does not disclose where its data comes from.
Beyond its unverified data sources, DeepSeek’s training process is equally unclear:
When it comes to transparency, DeepSeek performs poorly. According to an Open Data Institute analysis, DeepSeek is ranked among the least transparent AI models, alongside Inflection-2. More transparent alternatives include Pythia (EleutherAI) and Aya (Cohere)—two open-source models that clearly document their training data and algorithms. These models prove that AI can be developed transparently – so why does DeepSeek choose not to?
Developing AI is expensive – very expensive. Companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic invest billions to train, improve, and scale their models. DeepSeek, however, claims to have built an AI on the level of GPT-4 – for just $5.6 million. But recent analyses reveal that this number is highly misleading.
According to a report from SemiAnalysis, DeepSeek has actually spent over $500 million on hardware alone, particularly on 50,000 Hopper-series GPUs. The estimated total operational cost of DeepSeek’s servers is around $1.6 billion. The widely quoted $5.6 million figure refers only to the cost of GPUs for a single pre-training cycle – completely ignoring research, infrastructure, and employee salaries.
Massive investments are not just about financial strength—they also determine how powerful, versatile, and innovative an AI model can be in the long run. OpenAI for example, backed by billions of cash from Microsoft, is developing not just ChatGPT, but also projects like Sora (AI-generated videos) and Operator (autonomous AI assistants). It also recently released Deep Research – a tool that provides source-based analysis.
DeepSeek, however, was initially funded by High-Flyer, a Chinese hedge fund. Despite its rapid growth, its lack of broad international investors raises concerns about government control – especially from China.
While low development costs may seem appealing, they raise questions about the model’s future viability. If DeepSeek cannot sustain its development or keep up with innovation, it may lose competitiveness quickly.
Imagine using DeepSeek for content creation in a marketing agency—only for it to be outdated within months when a better model emerges.
With ChatGPT and other leading AI models, this is less of a concern. OpenAI continuously invests billions in new versions and updates, ensuring long-term competitiveness. And that’s why we’re more than happy to pay $20 per month for a trusted AI service.
DeepSeek has quickly gained global attention as a supposedly cheap, powerful alternative to models like ChatGPT. But a closer look reveals serious red flags:
❌ Lack of Transparency – No clear information on training data or methodology.
❌ Censorship & Misinformation – 83% error rate, political bias, and distorted facts make it unreliable.
❌ Data Privacy Issues – Storing data on Chinese servers poses major risks and violates GDPR.
❌ Technical Limitations – No multimodality, no customization options, and limited usability for marketing.
❌ Unclear Financial Viability – True costs are far higher than claimed, and without strong investors, DeepSeek may struggle to sustain itself.
At WEVENTURE Performance, we prioritize reliable, innovative, and future-proof solutions. We need AI that enhances our marketing, not one that hinders it. We’d rather use a proven, continuously evolving AI than gamble on an uncertain experiment with an unclear future.
That’s why DeepSeek is not an option for us.
