Summary of Key Points
After securing a $50 billion initial round of financing, DeepSeek launched the largest expansion in its history, doubling the staff across all departments. However, the recruitment process has been met with controversy: former Huawei talent Li Bojie complained about being offended by interviewers, and many candidates reported issues such as rushed scheduling, inconsistent standards, and a poor experience. This incident exposes the contradictions faced by leading AI companies during rapid expansion—while they need to hire quickly to fill skill gaps, they also must maintain high recruitment standards, which can lead to a talent selection process that falls behind the pace of growth.
I. $50 Billion in Financing: DeepSeek Enters a “Talent Race”
Where did DeepSeek get the money? The $50 billion raised in June included 20 billion from founder Liang Wenfeng (the largest single contributor), 10 billion from Tencent, 50 billion from CATL, 30 billion each from NetEase and JD.com, and 10 billion from the National AI Industry Fund. The funds are intended for specific purposes: building domestic computing clusters (supercomputers for AI processing), developing proprietary推理 chips to make AI more efficient and affordable, and recruiting talent globally.
Just 10 days after the financing was finalized, DeepSeek began its expansion, doubling the number of employees in all departments and opening 33 new positions, including roles in AI algorithms and intelligent system development. The annual salary for core deep learning researchers can exceed 1.5 million yuan. Why such urgency? Previously, DeepSeek relied on funds from its other company, Fantang Quantization, to grow steadily; now it needs to address talent gaps from model development to commercial implementation—especially as their V4 model is about to be launched and more people are needed to turn technology into products.
II. Interview Controversies: From Offense by Interviewers to Collective Complaints from Candidates
The most notable case involves Li Bojie, former chief scientist at Pine AI. He experienced an interviewer being late and questioning his use of multiple screens, which he found highly offensive. This is not an isolated incident:
- Candidate Chen Cheng waited two months for a response after submitting his resume and was only notified one day before each interview, with the final rejection based on the reason that his resume was not “perfect” despite the interviewer’s acknowledgment of his abilities.
- Other candidates reported being interrupted during interviews, questions that did not relate to their resumes, and even late-interviewing interviewers.
- Interns also described rigorous assessments of professional skills.
However, there are opposing views: some believe DeepSeek does not focus on titles (like Li Bojie’s background) but instead evaluates genuine capabilities, which is a commendable approach.
III. Recruitment Standards: “Industry TOP1”; Only the Best Will Do
Despite the expansion, DeepSeek’s standards remain high. Headhunters reveal:
- Core technical positions require a background from one of China’s top nine universities (C9), while other roles require a 985 university degree.
- Priority is given to recruiting talent from leading competitors such as Alibaba’s Qianwen and ByteDance’s Seed programs.
- A combination of a prestigious education, experience at competing companies, and significant awards is highly desirable.
Why such strict requirements? With only a few hundred employees, DeepSeek cannot afford to compromise on quality; after all, the AI industry relies heavily on technology, and even a small flaw in talent can put them at a disadvantage against competitors.
IV. The Dilemma of Talent Selection During Rapid Expansion
The essence of these issues is a conflict: on one hand, DeepSeek needs to hire quickly with the new funds, leading to rushed interviews and simplified processes; on the other hand, they want to maintain high standards, resulting in inconsistent selection criteria (e.g., the vague reason for rejecting Chen Cheng’s resume). This is a common problem for top AI companies. The competition in the AI industry is fierce, and they must expand rapidly to capture market share, but there is only so much top talent available. Balancing speed and quality is challenging.
V. Future Implications: Will DeepSeek Adjust Its Selection Process?
As of press time, DeepSeek has not responded to these controversies. If the problems with chaotic interview processes and unclear standards are not addressed, it may affect their ability to attract top talent—talents like Li Bojie might be deterred, as might other candidates.
For the industry as a whole, this serves as a reminder: during rapid expansion, talent selection systems must keep up. Otherwise, no amount of funding will ensure that companies can hire and retain the right people, which is essential for success.
In summary, DeepSeek’s story reflects the challenges faced by the AI industry—funding is available, and expansion is imminent, but the underlying infrastructure for talent selection is not yet in place. The current recruitment controversies might prompt DeepSeek to pause and reevaluate its processes. After all, hiring the right people is more important than simply hiring quickly.