U.S. graduates increasingly apply to China's DeepSeek startup

Graduates from top U.S. universities, like Harvard and Stanford, are applying for jobs at a new Chinese AI startup called DeepSeek. This shift is a big change from previous years when hiring engineers, even from Chinese universities, was difficult. Victor Huang, co-founder of Manycore Tech Inc., has noticed the change. He said that after DeepSeek became known as one of the “Six Dragons” in Hangzhou, it attracted more talented candidates. Many top graduates from Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, and Beijing University, as well as those from U.S. schools, are sending in their resumes. Huang's company focuses on developing software for designing spaces. They want to expand globally, despite challenges from geopolitics that can make it hard for Chinese firms to market abroad. There is also a global shortage of AI talent as businesses quickly adopt new technologies like machine learning and robotics. Many applicants to Manycore may be Chinese students who prefer to work in China due to uncertainties in U.S. immigration policies. Some have left jobs in Silicon Valley to return home. Huang, who studied at the University of Illinois and worked for Nvidia, believes that the recognition as one of the “Six Dragons” makes it easier to connect with customers who are eager to try new AI solutions.