© 2025 WUKY
background_fid.jpg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Despite market jolt from DeepSeek, Kentucky congressman says the U.S. is still positioned to lead in AI

The smartphone apps DeepSeek page is seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Andy Wong/AP
/
AP
The smartphone apps DeepSeek page is seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Financial markets felt a gutpunch this week when China-based company DeepSeek unveiled a language model that can give with American AI giants a run for the money, but a Kentucky congressman who has singled out China as a unique threat says the U.S. is ready.

By Monday morning, DeepSeek had already topped charts for free apps on Apple's App Store. The Associated Press reported that analysts called feat "impressive," given how the U.S. government has restricted Chinese access to top AI chips.

Prominent China critic Andy Barr, a Lexington Republican, now says he believes — with President Trump at the helm — lawmakers in his chamber are feeling more optimistic about countering China's advances.

"Even with competition from Communist China with DeepSeek and AI... and I respect Marc Andreessen when he says this is the Sputnik moment... I think we're ready for this competition," Barr told the press.

Despite some skepticism surrounding the more durable effect of the DeepSeek rollout, the disruption nevertheless rocked AI-related stocks globally.

Trump's rhetoric on China during the campaign suggested an aggressive stance toward the economic heavy-hitter, with the now-President threatening tariffs up to 60% on Chinese goods. In his first weeks back in office, however, the tone has downshifted. While Trump backed the efforts that eventually grew into the divest-or-ban bill aimed at TikTok, he came to the rescue of the popular social media app, at least temporarily.

Members of Congress, including Barr, were among the lawmakers who championed the bill that pushed for TikTok's China-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell or block access in the U.S.

Josh James fell in love with college radio at Western Kentucky University's student station, New Rock 92 (now Revolution 91.7). After working as a DJ and program director, he knew he wanted to come home to Lexington and try his hand in public radio.