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Tencent and Alibaba reportedly in talks to back DeepSeek valuing it above 20 billion
Technology
Published on 24 April 2026
A 20 billion-plus bet could reshape AI rivals
Tencent and Alibaba are reportedly discussing an investment in AI startup DeepSeek, targeting a valuation above $20 billion. The talks underscore how costly cutting-edge AI development has become, with the final terms still under negotiation. DeepSeek’s earlier model release drew worldwide attention, raising expectations around what new funding could enable next.
- Tencent and Alibaba reportedly eye investment talks with DeepSeek
- Deal discussions center on a valuation above $20 billion
- Funding reflects the heavy capital demands of advanced AI
- DeepSeek’s earlier model release had global impact
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times