DeepSeek has made AI more affordable. It is now seeking to raise $8 billion and is in the process of acquiring robots.

      DeepSeek dedicated early 2025 to demonstrating that a quality AI model doesn't have to come with a high price tag. This week, it has shifted focus to showing it can indeed spend significant amounts. Within just a few days, the Chinese lab reopened a multi-billion-dollar fundraising effort, took a stake in the country's most prominent robot manufacturer, and informed customers of a price increase.

      An $8 billion funding round reopened

      According to Bloomberg, DeepSeek has restarted its second funding round, aiming to raise nearly $8 billion. This round values the Hangzhou startup at approximately 500 billion yuan, or $74 billion. Monolith Management, an early supporter of the Chinese AI frontrunner Moonshot, is in discussions to participate.

      This round represents a continuation rather than a completely new initiative. DeepSeek had temporarily halted the process last month following leaked comments from founder Liang Wenfeng to investors that created tension. Since its first external funding round earlier this summer, the valuation has increased. That initial round concluded at nearly 350 billion yuan, effectively doubling Liang’s net worth to around $36 billion.

      The company seeks to raise a similar amount once again. Bloomberg noted that ongoing discussions could lead to changes in the size, timing, and list of investors.

      The purpose of the funding highlights a significant shift. DeepSeek intends to allocate part of it towards constructing its own data centers, starting with a large facility in Inner Mongolia. The lab, known for its efficiency, now requires its own computational resources. On the same day the fundraising effort was renewed, DeepSeek also informed users of an impending substantial price hike. The company is subtly transforming its narrative regarding low-cost AI.

      An investment in robotics in the same week

      The second move indicates a new direction. DeepSeek invested 140.8 million yuan, or about $20.8 million, in Unitree Robotics’ public offering in Shanghai, as reported by Reuters based on a stock exchange filing. This stake represents 2.31% of the strategic placement of the offering, subject to a 36-month lock-up period. It signals a commitment rather than a mere investment.

      In tandem, there is an agreement to jointly develop AI models for humanoid robots. The two Hangzhou companies will integrate DeepSeek’s models with Unitree’s expertise in motion control and embodied intelligence, providing mutual support—Unitree for training services and DeepSeek for robotic applications. The objective revolves around tackling one of the field’s most challenging issues.

      Can a robotic "brain" navigate an unfamiliar room and execute an instruction reliably?

      The collaboration is significant. DeepSeek’s models excel in coding, mathematics, and reasoning, with their strengths concentrated in language rather than in multimodal systems that interpret the physical environment. Its VL2 vision research was never incorporated into the main product, and a separate project for visual reasoning appeared and subsequently disappeared in April without any clarification.

      Unitree supplies the essential component, offering robots and the valuable physical-world data they generate.

      A substantial valuation for the hardware

      On Thursday, Unitree set a price for its IPO, following a listing TNW has been monitoring since its initial 50-billion-yuan target. The company aims to raise approximately 6.1 billion yuan, or $904 million, with a valuation close to $9 billion, according to Reuters. This makes it the first humanoid robot manufacturer to be listed on the mainland. Its backers include entities linked to Tencent, Alibaba, and China Mobile.

      The figures are quite high. With a share price of 150.80 yuan, the offering results in a price-to-earnings ratio of 219.

      In contrast, the industry average is about 39, as reported by Chinese outlet Cailian Press. Revenue surged more than fourfold to 1.7 billion yuan in 2025, making humanoids the leading product line. However, first-quarter profits, excluding one-time items, decreased by 52.6% due to increasing research and marketing expenses. U.S. sales, which accounted for 13.3% of last year’s revenue, are vulnerable to renewed American restrictions on Chinese robots.

      Considering the three actions collectively reveals a trend. The company that demonstrated the affordability of AI is now raising billions, constructing data centers, and increasing prices. It is also investing in mobile machinery.

      DeepSeek is wagering that the next phase will not come cheaply. Whether the market that was attracted to the discounted offering will accept the new pricing remains an open question.