DeepSeek rushes to launch new AI model as China goes all in

The Chinese startup triggered a $1 trillion-plus sell-off in global equities markets last month with a cut-price AI reasoning model that outperformed many Western competitors.

Now, the Hangzhou-based firm is accelerating the launch of the successor to January’s R1 model, according to three people familiar with the company.

Deepseek had planned to release R2 in early May but now wants it out as early as possible, two of them said, without providing specifics.

The company says it hopes the new model will…