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DeepSeek Young Talent
A Different Perspective on DeepSeek
Gary Farnham
February 01, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
The Chinese AI model DeepSeek took the world by storm last week, sending the Nasdaq plunging over 3%.
I read this described as a “Sputnik” moment, signaling the start of the AI race. OpenAI has already changed ChatGPT to show its model reasoning in real-time in response to DeepSeek’s similar capabilities…
One of my favorite quips from the week was:
“How ironic is it that we got a free, open-source AI model from a hedge fund quant shop and a $200-a-month closed-source model from a non-profit?”
All of this and the market implications aside,
The interesting narrative that I circled is the following from an article on the founder of DeepSeek, Liang Wenfeng:
"Our core technical positions are mainly filled by fresh graduates or those who have graduated one or two years ago," he said.
"When doing something, experienced people will tell you without hesitation that you should do it one way. But inexperienced people will repeatedly explore and think seriously about how to do it, and then find a solution that suits the current actual situation."
Being 25 and in the early years of my career, I find it refreshing to read this quote. Unfortunately, I often see negative generalizations in the media (yes, I realize that's not surprising) about Gen Z, portraying us as irresponsible, lazy, unrealistic, and entitled.
Of course, I’m biased, but from my experience, many Gen Zers are intelligent, driven, healthy and aware. We’ve grown up in an entirely technological world and are measured by the wrong metrics. We are different—but different does not equal bad. This quote, highlighted above, is the beginning of more of these narratives, where Gen Z, when fully embraced and trusted, is capable of creating invaluable new products, services, and experiences for this world.
When speaking with many of my Gen Z counterparts, we feel an overarching theme that is embodied by the quote: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.”
We are optimistic, brimming with ideas and have the energy to run with them, but are often overlooked in favor of the way things have always been done.
With a lifetime of tech experience and AI now at our fingertips, we’re exceptionally well-equipped to leverage these powerful tools to their fullest potential. I am not worried. Our time will come, and I am excited to see the world that we build.
With all of this said, I realize this is not a new phenomenon. John Mayer encapsulates it in the song “Waiting on the World to Change” in 2006:
Me and all my friends
We're all misunderstood
They say we stand for nothing and
There's no way we ever could
Now we see everything that's going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don't have the means
To rise above and beat it
It's hard to beat the system
When we're standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
And further back by Bob Dylan in 1964:
Come mothers and fathers throughout the land
And don't criticize what you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand
For the times, they are a-changin'
Every generation experiences this. You’d think one day we’d learn and break the cycle.
We were all the younger generation who believed we knew better, then we become the older generation and think the younger generations know nothing.
I believe DeepSeek is a Sputnik moment. For AI yes, but also for Gen Z—we are capable, we are intelligent, and we are powerful.
World, hold on
Instead of messing with our future
Tell me no more lies
World, hold on
One day you will have to answer to the children of the sky
You’d better start swimming or you’ll sink like a stone….
For the times they are a-changin’
G
*Thumbnail image created by DeepSeek R1 model via Perplexity AI