Zuckerberg stated internally at Meta: DeepSeek will not impact AI infrastructure investment, and everyone should prepare for a "tense year."

Recently, Chinese AI startup DeepSeek claimed that its R1 model can compete with OpenAI's models in several benchmark tests, and its construction costs and computing power requirements are only a small fraction of the latter. This news triggered a significant drop in tech stocks, with nearly $1 trillion in market value evaporating. However, according to internal meeting recordings obtained by Business Insider, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated at Thursday's all-hands meeting that DeepSeek's breakthrough would not change the company's infrastructure investment plans. Meta Can Benefit from DeepSeek's Innovations Zuckerberg praised DeepSeek for its "novel progress" in infrastructure optimization and noted that these innovations have been publicly published, allowing Meta to learn and implement relevant methods to benefit from them. He stated that it is always interesting to see other companies perform better, which also motivates Meta to stay vigilant. Meta CFO Susan Li added that since the company does not rely on sales of the open-source AI model Llama for revenue, Meta is less affected by DeepSeek compared to other companies. Meta Employees Prepare for a "Tight Year" Zuckerberg emphasized the urgency of this year at the start of the meeting, urging employees to "buckle up" and prepare for a "tight year." He said, "This is a marathon, not a sprint. But honestly, this year feels more like a sprint to me." 2025 Will Be the "Decisive Year" for AI Zuckerberg reiterated the previously announced plan for an additional $60-65 billion in capital investment for the fiscal year 2024 and emphasized that 2025 will be the "decisive year" for AI. He predicted that by the end of 2025, a "highly intelligent and personalized" digital assistant will reach 1 billion users, and the company that first achieves this goal will gain a long-lasting advantage. AI Will Change the Nature of Work and May Lead to Workforce Changes Regarding the impact of AI on employment, Zuckerberg stated that it is "hard to predict." He pointed out that while AI may render certain positions redundant, it could also increase the demand for engineers who can leverage AI to enhance productivity. He emphasized, "The nature of engineering in the future will be different from today." Meta Adjusts DEI Policies and Reshapes Government Relations Zuckerberg also discussed the company's recent adjustments to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. He stated that this is to adapt to the rapidly changing policy and regulatory environment, as more laws deem any policy that may favor one group over another as illegal. Additionally, Zuckerberg mentioned that 2024 will be a year for Meta to "reset" its relationships with governments around the world. He emphasized that the company will seek to establish productive partnerships with the U.S. government while not compromising its principles and values