There is just a trove of comments here, I was going to pick out the best, but honestly, there's something in here for everyone.
Ok here is the obvious stand-out:
Also, user KamalaHarrisWaifu has a lot of "takes" in the thread.
I actually have no idea to what extent the cost of Deepseek (or other Chinese models) are subsidized. One thing is true though, the grid these things exist on in China is owned by the state, and not privately owned, which I'm sure changes the calculus. (Not to mention the sheer capacity of said grid being off the charts).
Deepseek models are infamously inexpensive compared to the American models. That's their whole claim to fame. They can charge low prices because it only cost like a few hundred million US to train their last two gen of models, compared to the several billions that OAI and Anthropic have each dropped.
I'm guessing there's some subsidies going on, but they also have better business fundamentals and a functional green grid to work with.