With the rise of Kimi, which emphasized long-context processing, DeepSeek has now emerged, showing yet another approach to AI. Observing these developments, I’ve noticed that AI companies tend to innovate in three main ways: some push the boundaries of technology, others enhance user experience, and some focus on reducing costs and improving efficiency.

DeepSeek’s arrival gives us a chance to examine these three types of AI innovation—and to reflect on how Minduck approaches its own vision for AI’s future.

1. Tech-Driven Innovation

Tech-Driven innovation is about redefining an industry’s fundamental rules and creating disruptive change. For example, Tesla is driving the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles, while Neuralink is exploring ways for humans to communicate directly with computers. Neuralink’s vision could revolutionize healthcare, communication, and even how we interact with technology—potentially replacing keyboards and screens altogether. Similarly, ChatGPT has transformed how people find information and create content.

This kind of innovation puts technology first, introducing leaps that make older models obsolete. Visionaries like Elon Musk have mastered this approach.

2. User-Centric Innovation

User-Centric innovation is about making technology more intuitive and accessible. Even if a product isn’t built on the most cutting-edge tech, a great experience can make all the difference. As Steve Jobs once said, "Technology itself is not the most important thing—it’s about how it improves people’s lives."

In AI, technical breakthroughs matter, but the most successful products are often those that prioritize ease of use. However, what does an ideal AI experience look like?

At Minduck, we believe today’s chat-based AI interfaces aren’t the best solution—they’re just a workaround for the current limitations of large models. While powerful, AI chat systems can feel inefficient and cumbersome. True User-Centric innovation means making AI intuitive and effortless so that anyone, not just experts, can use it to accomplish professional-level tasks.

3. Efficiency-Driven Innovation

DeepSeek, in my view, represents this third type of innovation. While it doesn’t introduce groundbreaking technology or a dramatically improved user experience, it significantly reduces the cost of AI development. By making AI more affordable, DeepSeek indirectly accelerates the growth of the entire AI ecosystem.

As AI becomes cheaper to develop, more companies can integrate it into their products, leading to a wider range of AI-driven applications. For everyday users, DeepSeek and ChatGPT might feel similar, but for developers, lower costs open up new possibilities for innovation

4. Minduck’s Perspective

Technology is never the goal—it’s a means to enhance human experience. DeepSeek has made AI more cost-effective, but it hasn’t fundamentally improved how people interact with it. At Minduck, we take inspiration from innovations like the iPhone for mobile devices and the mouse for computers—game-changing inventions that redefined user experience.

Lowering the cost of AI is valuable because it broadens access. But at Minduck, our goal isn’t just to make AI easier to use—we want to redefine the way people use AI to learn, to think, to create, to travel..

That’s why we focus on creating a new learning experience that’s simple, intuitive, and engaging. While DeepSeek’s approach makes AI more accessible to developers, it doesn’t change the trajectory of AI itself. The future of AI lies in personalization and specialization—and we believe the next major shift will come from reimagining how people interact with AI. By integrating visual thinking tools, we aim to empower everyone to use AI not just for basic tasks, but to achieve truly professional results.