For years, the world has dismissed China's tech ambitions with many believing the industry had hit a glass ceiling. Then came the launch of Chinese AI company DeepSeek’s first ultra-efficient reasoning model in January 2025. The debut did more than just rattle Silicon Valley. It exposed the limitations of Western strategies to contain the sector and may have been a catalyst for a new wave of self-sufficient innovation in China. In this three-part series, Post tech desk journalists take you inside the After DeepSeek era. They discuss why old assumptions about China's technological prowess no longer apply, and what recent changes mean for the nation’s tech talent pool, the global AI race and China's tech-first future.  https://www.scmp.comhttps://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/article_type/2026/01/19/SQUARE-after-deepseek.jpghttps://www.scmp.comSouth China Morning Postnoen-usSouth China Morning Postdigitalsupport@scmp.com© 2022 South China Morning Post Publishers Limited. All Rights Reserved.For years, the world has dismissed China's tech ambitions with many believing the industry had hit a glass ceiling. Then came the launch of Chinese AI company DeepSeek’s first ultra-efficient reasoning model in January 2025. The debut did more than just rattle Silicon Valley. It exposed the limitations of Western strategies to contain the sector and may have been a catalyst for a new wave of self-sufficient innovation in China. In this three-part series, Post tech desk journalists take you inside the After DeepSeek era. They discuss why old assumptions about China's technological prowess no longer apply, and what recent changes mean for the nation’s tech talent pool, the global AI race and China's tech-first future.  How human capital is driving China’s emergence as a global AI powerhouse  https://www.scmp.com/podcasts/after-deepseek/3340763/talent-engine-powering-chinas-ai-risehttps://www.scmp.com/podcasts/after-deepseek/3340763/talent-engine-powering-chinas-ai-riseFri, 23 Jan 2026 11:50:09 +08001333noHow human capital is driving China’s emergence as a global AI powerhouse  How human capital is driving China’s emergence as a global AI powerhouse  noHow China plans to put AI in every factory, hospital and handset  https://www.scmp.com/podcasts/after-deepseek/3340766/deepseek-shock-wave-chinas-sputnik-momenthttps://www.scmp.com/podcasts/after-deepseek/3340766/deepseek-shock-wave-chinas-sputnik-momentFri, 23 Jan 2026 11:00:11 +08001670noHow China plans to put AI in every factory, hospital and handset  How China plans to put AI in every factory, hospital and handset  noChina and the US are AI superpowers with two completely different AI playbookshttps://www.scmp.com/podcasts/after-deepseek/3340770/great-ai-schism-china-and-us-are-superpowers-very-different-playbookshttps://www.scmp.com/podcasts/after-deepseek/3340770/great-ai-schism-china-and-us-are-superpowers-very-different-playbooksFri, 23 Jan 2026 11:00:10 +08001547noChina and the US are AI superpowers with two completely different AI playbooksChina and the US are AI superpowers with two completely different AI playbooksno