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Zimbabwe among nations rapidly embracing DeepSeek
11 hrs ago |
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Zimbabwe is emerging as one of the African nations rapidly embracing the Chinese-led artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek, reflecting the growing uptake of AI technologies across the continent.
According to a recent Microsoft report, Zimbabwe is joining other African countries such as Ethiopia, Uganda, and Niger, where DeepSeek's market share currently ranges between 11% and 14%. The findings challenge previous assumptions that AI adoption in Zimbabwe was still in its infancy, largely limited to basic use by government and private sector entities.
DeepSeek, founded in 2023, has gained global traction thanks to its open-source, cost-efficient models, which are gradually outcompeting US-based platforms like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Local users highlight DeepSeek's strength in technical tasks such as coding, mathematics, and data analysis, praising its precision and flexibility for developers needing open-source control.
The Microsoft report also notes that DeepSeek's popularity has surged in countries like Syria and Iran, where its market share has reached 23%, as well as in Belarus, Cuba, and Russia. Globally, generative AI tools now reach 16.3% of the world's population, up from 15.1% in the last quarter of 2025.
Experts attribute DeepSeek's rapid adoption outside China partly to restrictions on American AI services in some regions and the platform's accessibility. DeepSeek offers a free-to-use chatbot on web and mobile, allowing developers worldwide to modify and build on its core engine. Its lack of subscription fees has lowered barriers for millions of users in price-sensitive markets, driving adoption in developing countries.
"Accessibility is a key factor shaping AI adoption globally," the Microsoft report concludes, underscoring how platforms like DeepSeek are expanding AI access to regions previously underserved by costly or restricted technologies.
Zimbabwe's embrace of DeepSeek signals a growing openness to AI innovations, positioning the country as a notable player in Africa's emerging AI ecosystem.
According to a recent Microsoft report, Zimbabwe is joining other African countries such as Ethiopia, Uganda, and Niger, where DeepSeek's market share currently ranges between 11% and 14%. The findings challenge previous assumptions that AI adoption in Zimbabwe was still in its infancy, largely limited to basic use by government and private sector entities.
DeepSeek, founded in 2023, has gained global traction thanks to its open-source, cost-efficient models, which are gradually outcompeting US-based platforms like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Local users highlight DeepSeek's strength in technical tasks such as coding, mathematics, and data analysis, praising its precision and flexibility for developers needing open-source control.
The Microsoft report also notes that DeepSeek's popularity has surged in countries like Syria and Iran, where its market share has reached 23%, as well as in Belarus, Cuba, and Russia. Globally, generative AI tools now reach 16.3% of the world's population, up from 15.1% in the last quarter of 2025.
Experts attribute DeepSeek's rapid adoption outside China partly to restrictions on American AI services in some regions and the platform's accessibility. DeepSeek offers a free-to-use chatbot on web and mobile, allowing developers worldwide to modify and build on its core engine. Its lack of subscription fees has lowered barriers for millions of users in price-sensitive markets, driving adoption in developing countries.
"Accessibility is a key factor shaping AI adoption globally," the Microsoft report concludes, underscoring how platforms like DeepSeek are expanding AI access to regions previously underserved by costly or restricted technologies.
Zimbabwe's embrace of DeepSeek signals a growing openness to AI innovations, positioning the country as a notable player in Africa's emerging AI ecosystem.
Source - newzimbabwe
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