DeepSeek has released V4, a new open-source large language model that is quietly shifting the cost dynamics of AI. Built on a Mixture-of-Experts architecture, DeepSeek V4 offers a 1 million token context window, making it capable of processing entire codebases and long documents in a single pass. The model comes in two variants: Pro for maximum power and Flash for speed.
Key advantages include up to 5–10x lower cost compared to frontier closed models, and open weights that allow developers to run and customize the model freely. DeepSeek V4 excels in coding, reasoning, and agentic workflows, not just conversational chat.
While closed models still lead in raw capability, open models like DeepSeek V4 are winning on distribution and adoption. The AI race is entering a new phase where cost efficiency and openness are becoming decisive factors.