Hoover Institution at Stanford Analyzes 201 Researchers
"Only 24% Have U.S. Education or Career Experience"
An analysis has found that more than half of the core researchers at Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek were educated exclusively in China and are affiliated with Chinese institutions.
The Hoover Institution at Stanford University, a U.S. think tank, recently released a report titled "Talent Analysis of DeepSeek AI and Implications for U.S. Innovation," in which it examined the educational backgrounds and major career histories of over 200 individuals who were listed as authors on five papers published by DeepSeek between January 2024 and February 2025.
During this period, a total of 232 researchers were involved in the papers, and the analysis focused on the 201 individuals whose institutional affiliations were publicly known. The analysis found that out of these 201 individuals, 111 (54%) were educated exclusively in China and are affiliated with Chinese research institutions, with no education or career experience in the United States.
Additionally, 197 researchers (89%)?nearly 90% of the total?had been affiliated with a Chinese institution at least once in the past or present. In contrast, only 49 researchers (24.3%), or about one quarter, had studied or worked in the United States.
Furthermore, among the 201 researchers, 171 (85%) were affiliated with Chinese institutions, while only 15 (7%) were currently affiliated with U.S.-based institutions. The report also noted that 31 researchers contributed to all five papers, identifying them as the "core team."
The report stated, "This analysis provides evidence that China is capable of cultivating world-class AI talent domestically without relying on Western expertise," adding, "It demonstrates that the United States has played a limited role in shaping this group." The report continued, "The DeepSeek case highlights a critical blind spot in U.S. technology policy?namely, the erosion of human capital advantage. While export controls and investments in computing infrastructure are necessary, they are not sufficient, and the United States cannot maintain technological superiority through regulation alone."
The report emphasized, "To win in the new era of competition, the focus must be on cultivating, attracting, and retaining top talent both domestically and internationally." It added, "If DeepSeek is the signal, the future of technological leadership will depend not only on faster chips or larger models, but also on achieving a strategic advantage in the global competition for talent."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
