The AI startup developed a top system by relying on inexperienced engineers and a loophole in U.S. export controls.

feeding frenzy Why the markets are freaking out about Chinese AI newcomer DeepSeek A big day for short sellers after Nvidia loses $600 billion off its market value. Tim Bradshaw, George Steer, Michael Acton, and Tabby Kinder, Financial Times Jan 28, 2025 9:22 am | 0 Credit: FT montage/Bloomberg Credit: FT montage/Bloomberg Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreA Chinese companys claim of a $5.6 million artificial intelligence breakthrough wiped almost $600 billion from Nvidias market value on Monday, shattering Wall Streets confidence that tech companies AI spending spree will continue and dealing an apparent blow to US tech leadership.Yet many in Silicon Valley believe the broad sell-off is an overreaction to DeepSeeks latest model, which they argue could spur wider adoption and utility of AI by radically lowering the technologys cost, sustaining demand for Nvidias chips.Pat Gelsinger, recently forced out as chief executive of Intel, was among those buying his former rival Nvidias stock on Monday. The market reaction is wrong: lowering the cost of AI will expand the market, he said in a LinkedIn post. DeepSeek is an incredible piece of engineering that will usher in greater adoption of AI.Nvidia became the worlds most valuable company last year as investors bet on Big Tech companies insatiable appetite for its powerful AI processors. The chipmakers chief executive Jensen Huang has predicted $1 trillion worth of AI data centres will be built in the next few years.Underpinning that confidence was the concept of an AI scaling law, popularised by senior leaders at AI start-ups such as OpenAI and Anthropic, that suggested AI models got smarter as they were fed more data and computing resources.DeepSeeks release of its highly capable R1 model and the research paper explaining openly how it was made seemed to break the scaling laws spell, as its chatbot leapt to the top of the iPhones US App Store chart over the weekend. The Philadelphia Semiconductor index shed 9.2 percent, its worst daily drop since March 2020.Chinese tech champion Huawei has emerged as Nvidias primary competitor in China for inference chips. The Financial Times has previously reported that it has been working with AI companies, including DeepSeek, to adapt models trained on Nvidia GPUs to run inference on its Ascend chips.Huawei is getting better. They have an opening as the government is telling the big tech companies that they need to buy their chips and use them for inference, said one semiconductor investor in Beijing.The announcement that triggered Mondays stock market spasm over Nvidia came as the US moves to assert its leadership in AI over China, and as the biggest US tech companies prepare to report their latest earnings. US President Donald Trump said DeepSeek should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser focused on competing to win.In December, DeepSeek released the V3 model, which it claimed was comparable to ones from OpenAI and Google, but trained it on a fraction of the budget with $5.6 million. The Chinese company said it used just 2,048 Nvidia chips, which could have been obtained without breaching US export controls that have throttled Chinas access to US chipmakers latest products.Then, last week, it unveiled its latest R1 model, a reasoning model that is comparable to OpenAIs o1.Further spooking investors, DeepSeeks engineers were able to unlock greater performance by writing code without relying on Nvidias Cuda software platform, which is widely seen as crucial to the Silicon Valley chipmakers dominance of AI development.DeepSeek has levelled the playing field, said Stephen Yiu, chief investment officer of Blue Whale Growth, the investment fund backed by billionaire Peter Hargreaves, which last month reduced its exposure to the Magnificent Seven group of big US tech companies on concerns over their huge expenditure on AI.The biggest US tech companies have had monopoly access to AI the entry ticket price was in the billions of dollars, otherwise there was no chance you could challenge the status quo, Yiu said. That made DeepSeeks arrival a very positive development for the adoption, development and penetration of AI, he added.Short sellers, who have placed a flurry of bets against Nvidias sky-high share price in recent weeks, were jubilant on Monday. Nvidias 17 percent share price decline generated $6.75 billion in profits for short sellers, according to calculations by data group S3 Partners.A Chinese entity put out open-sourced code right before earnings of all the big American tech companies, said one short seller with interests in a number of large AI companies. Theyre telling you theres no value [in those companies AI models], its commoditised.However, some analysts have challenged the idea that DeepSeeks breakthrough AI was so cheap to build.Dylan Patel of chip consultancy SemiAnalysis has estimated that DeepSeek and its sister company, the hedge fund High-Flyer, have access to tens of thousands of Nvidia GPUs, which were used to train R1s predecessors.DeepSeek has spent well over $500 million on GPUs over the history of the company, Patel said. While their training run was very efficient, it required significant experimentation and testing to work.G Dan Hutcheson at TechInsights said the market reaction did not reflect who was most exposed to DeepSeeks breakthrough. I dont see it as a big hit to Nvidia, I see it as a bigger problem for the companies like OpenAI that are trying to sell these services, he said.Nvidia argued on Monday that DeepSeeks innovations would benefit, not blow up, its business.DeepSeek is an excellent AI advancement and a perfect example of Test Time Scaling, Nvidia said, referring to AI systems that consume more computing resources after a user poses a question or sets a task by reasoning or taking multiple linked steps to respond. Inference requires significant numbers of Nvidia GPUs and high-performance networking.The implication of Nvidias statement is that by pushing the boundaries of what is possible with open-source AI models, DeepSeek has in fact grown demand for the chips that are used to run them.While Nvidia is best known for providing the chips that are used to train or build a new AI system, it has said that it now generates just as much revenue from chips for inference or processing user requests using a finished model.Huang argued on a recent podcast that demand for inference is about to go up by a billion times due to new AI models that reason or take time to plan and deliver an answer to a complex query.There are two uses for Nvidia chips, training and inference, and were just at the beginning of the inference story, said Jordan Jacobs, co-founder of AI investor Radical Ventures, who bought more Nvidia shares on Monday as the chipmakers stock slumped 17 percent. As we see the world shifting to AI it requires a huge upgrade in chips. The sell-off seems to be an overreaction and a lack of understanding.The market is not properly realizing this is great for Nvidia, said Dmitry Shevelenko, chief business officer at Perplexity, the San Francisco-based AI search start-up that counts the chipmaker among its investors. No matter what, Jensen wins.Additional reporting by Cristina Criddle in San Francisco and Eleanor Olcott in Beijing. 2025 The Financial Times Ltd. All rights reserved Not to be redistributed, copied, or modified in any way.Tim Bradshaw, George Steer, Michael Acton, and Tabby Kinder, Financial TimesTim Bradshaw, George Steer, Michael Acton, and Tabby Kinder, Financial Times 0 Comments

John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorJanuary 28, 20255 Min ReadPuka Janluka via Alamy Stock PhotoThanks to the legalization of gambling-related activities in many parts of the world, the betting industry is booming. The field's current market size is over a billion US dollars, according to Statista, including both on-site and online betting operations.As the market flourishes, a growing number of betters are hoping that AI will help them beat the odds.Playing the OddsAI's role in gambling is still relatively new, with operators only just beginning to explore its potential impact on backend systems and player platforms, says Yoel Zuckerberg, chief product officer at Soft2Bet, an online casino and sports book software provider. In an online interview, he notes that most industry players currently encounter AI only in limited forms within games, yet he believes that the technology's role is likely to expand. "In the near future, AI is expected to play an increasingly central role in gaming platforms, enhancing personalization and engagement."AI's strongest attribute lies in its ability to enhance personalization and interactivity, Zuckerberg says. "By tracking player behaviors, preferences, and patterns, AI can deliver tailored, bespoke gameplay," he explains. "Integrating gamification elements, such as rewards and challenges, AI can also foster stronger customer loyalty and engagement."Related:Bettors can turn to AI to uncover patterns that provide valuable insights for making informed decisions, says Marin Cristian-Ovidiu, CEO of Online Games.IO in an online interview. However, when it comes to games of pure chance such as slots or roulette, AI has little to offer, since those outcomes are completely random.Many gambling operators are understandably wary of AI, worried that the technology could soon shift the balance of player engagement and strategy, Cristian-Ovidiu says. For gamblers eager to explore AI's gambling potential, he recommends starting, and becoming familiar with, data analytics platforms.AI is rapidly transforming the gambling industry, offering both opportunities and challenges, says Christian Nzouatoum, founder of Nzouat, a firm specializing in small business AI and software architecture. "In areas like sports betting, poker, and blackjack, AI can be a powerful tool for gamblers, allowing them to analyze massive datasets and make informed decisions based on predictive models," he observes via email. "For example, in sports betting, AI can process player statistics, team dynamics, and even external factors like weather conditions, to offer insights that go beyond what a human could easily calculate." In poker, Nzouatoum notes, "AI tools can assess an opponent's behavior and adjust strategies accordingly."Related:On the flip side, AI has only limited applicability in games of pure chance, such as slot machines and roulette, where outcomes are entirely unpredictable, Zuckerberg says. "However, it can still add value by personalizing the player experience, customizing rewards, and creating engagement-enhancing features within virtual slots and similar games."Other ConcernsGambling organizations, including casinos and sportsbooks, are keeping a close eye on AI developments. "They understand the advantages but are also concerned about maintaining fair play and game integrity," says video game blogger Dane Nk, in an online interview. For individuals looking to dive into AI-assisted gambling, Nk suggests starting with data analysis tools geared toward betters, of which there are many. "They can offer valuable insights but remember that the human touch -- skills and game knowledge -- should never be overlooked."Since AI's regulatory framework remains largely undefined, with many jurisdictions lacking specific guidelines for its use, businesses -- including gambling operators -- are currently operating in a gray area. "To mitigate the risks, companies should stay informed on regulatory developments and strengthen internal policies to ensure compliance," Zuckerberg advises.Related:Gambling Addiction DetectionRecent studies reveal a complex outlook in which AI is both a potential savior and a cunning manipulator in the world of gambling and addiction, says Christian Perry, CEO of Undetectable AI, a firm offering AI detection and conversion technology.The key is balance and responsible use, Perry states in an email interview. He believes that casinos can, and should, identify problematic gamblers using AI, and take every possible measure to prevent exploiting them in any way. "In person and online casinos should acknowledge the benefits and risks of using AI," he says.Betting on the FutureAI is transforming not only the player experience but also gambling enterprises' operational efficiency and strategic approach. "As we move forward, we anticipate that AI will play an integral role in shaping a more responsible, player-centric gaming environment," Zuckerberg says. "It's essential for [gambling] organizations to prioritize ethical AI practices, stay updated on regulations, and maintain a strong focus on transparency."About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports

Lisa Morgan, Freelance WriterJanuary 28, 20258 Min Read Mentor58 via Alamy StockWorkforce data literacy has been a priority ever since companies started using data analytics. With artificial intelligence, generative AI, and augmented analytics, the need persists, meaning end users should understand the basics so they can drive clear business value using data.In 2025, data literacy should mean the ability to engage with data critically and confidently, emphasizing data quality and efficacy. Non-technical roles should not only know how to interpret data but also evaluate its reliability, relevance, and ethical implications in their workflows to achieve business goals, says Dan Merzlyak, senior vice president, global head of data, analytics and AI at Postgres data and AI company EnterpriseDB. These roles should also be comfortable using AI-powered tools and automated workflows, understanding how they streamline repetitive tasks, uncover insights, and enhance productivity.Casey Foss, chief commercial officer at global business and technology consulting firm West Monroe, has been emphasizing the importance of data literacy across his company for the past couple of years, because of its role in AI and the competitive advantage it can drive in any organization.If you havent invested in building these skills yet, you're already behind, says Foss. For non-technical roles, the focus is on using data to make faster, smarter decisions. Its about leveraging data to tell compelling stories to your team, clients, or investors. Its about using data to stay competitive and measure your performance against market leaders and anticipate future market makers. Related:What Everyone Should Know in 2025At its core, data literacy requires understanding data quality including accuracy, completeness and timeliness to make informed decisions.[Data literacy] extends to evaluating AI-generated insights by understanding model fundamentals, limitations and ethical considerations. Effective data literacy also involves collaborative data practices, such as utilizing shared single source of truth dashboards to ensure teams work with consistent, up-to-date information, says Merzlyak. Finally, it demands ethical awareness in data handling, including recognizing biases, protecting privacy and weighing both business and societal impacts of data usage decisions. Together, these components enable professionals to effectively leverage data and AI while maintaining responsible practices.Dan Merzlyak, EnterpriseDBAlex Li, founder of StudyX at AI education company StudyX.AI says data literacy for non-technical people means being able to understand the meaning of data, make sensible decisions based on data, and collaborate effectively with technical teams to jointly promote business development.Related:The foundation of data literacy lies in having a basic understanding of data. Non-technical people need to master the basic concepts, terms, and types of data, and understand how data is collected and processed, says Li. Meanwhile, data literacy should also include familiarity with data analysis tools. Although there is no need to become a professional data analyst, mastering some common data analysis tools can assist non-technical people in conducting simple analyses on data and identifying trends, patterns or anomalies in the data. In addition, the basic knowledge of data security and privacy is also an important part of data literacy.Why Some Think Data Literacy Alone Is InsufficientAt this point in time, Raviraj Hegde, SVP of growth at non-profit online fundraising platform Donorbox, believes data literacy shouldnt just mean knowing how to read charts or understand different types of data.Its more important to focus on AI literacy, says Hegde. To get the most out of data, people need to learn how to do something with it, like using AI tools to turn it into something useful. A lot of training focuses too much on tools and buzzwords instead of how to use data or AI to solve problems.Related:Madeleine Wallace, founder and CEO of organizational and technological transformation consulting firm Windrose Vision and author of Thrive in the AI and Digital Age, also says non-technical employees need to grasp AI basics, including its strengths, limitations and ethical considerations, along with practical skills for tools like dashboards and AI platforms.From my perspective, data literacy is a mix of understanding AI and mastering tools to apply knowledge meaningfully in daily tasks, says Wallace. Embedding data tools into everyday workflows ensures employees engage with data naturally. Pairing this with hands-on, role-specific data projects brings learning to life.Kjell Carlsson, head of AI strategy at enterprise MLOps platform Domino Data Lab, believes in 2025, the most needed skill for leaders and employees is GenAI literacy.[GenAI literacy] is about mastering how to effectively use GenA) models to enhance their work, roles and productivity. [It] involves knowing how to find and understand information using GenAI tools; create content like text, images, and presentations; integrate GenAI outputs into daily workflows, and identify and correct hallucinations to ensure reliable results.However, GenAI literacy is not an evolution of data literacy, he says. Traditional data literacy -- analyzing and making decisions with data -- remains as vital as ever, especially since current GenAI tools are still nascent in handling structured enterprise data.Organizations should also avoid the misconception that fostering GenAI literacy alone will help developing GenAI solutions. For this, companies need even greater investments in expert AI talent -- data scientists, machine learning engineers, data engineers, developers and AI engineers, says Carlsson. While GenAI literacy empowers individuals across the workforce, building transformative AI capabilities requires skilled teams to design, fine-tune and operationalize these solutions. Companies must address both.Joe Depa, global chief innovation officer at business management consulting firm EY believes data literacy is a company-wide priority that can make or break an organization.Data literacy isnt fixed with workshops or an online training. Its baked into the innovation muscle of how your team operates day to day. Organizations should equip employees with AI dashboards that explain insights in simple, relatable language instead of overwhelming them with data overload, says Depa. Its also about building a culture [in which] using data to make decisions is part of the companys DNA. This includes creating an environment where its okay to test, make mistakes and learn together. Achieving this requires coordination between technology teams, security and business leaders to align workforce education with organizational goals.Why Data Literacy Training Isnt EnoughThe data literacy program itself influences a workforces ability to use data. According to Piyanka Jain, CEO at data analytics consulting firm Aryng, companies may train employees on statistics, machine learning and data visualization, but overlook professional skills like stakeholder collaboration and decision-making.In 2025, the focus [of data literacy] needs to shift. Its not about turning everyone into a data scientist. Its about enabling employees to deliver measurable business value using data -- and thats where the real challenges lie, says Jain.Organizations need to be mindful about and address cultural resistance, silos and outdated processes. They also need to recognize that AI and analytics tools are evolving so quickly that many employees cant keep up.Data literacy in 2025 cant just be about enabling employees to work with data. It needs to be about empowering them to drive real business value, says Jain. Thats how organizations will turn data into dollars and ensure their investments in technology and training actually pay off.Alejandro Manzocchi, Americas CTO at technology services company Endava also believes improving data literacy requires integrating it into the organizations culture and day-to-day workflows.Organizations should embed data tools into daily work, encouraging employees to rely on data when making decisions. For instance, ask teams to present data-backed reasoning for their proposals, says Manzocchi. To facilitate this approach, you could pair non-technical employees with data mentors to foster informal, task-based learning. Task forces that mix data experts with other team members can also be effective. And use engaging methods like trivia challenges, data hackathons or dedicated platforms to gamify the learning process. Ultimately, organizations must foster a culture of curiosity where asking data-driven questions is not only accepted but encouraged.Rohit Choudhary, AcceldataRohit Choudhary, founder & CEO at enterprise data observability company Acceldata, says data literacy needs to be a core job skill woven into everyday decision-making.This means understanding basic data types and quality metrics, interpreting common visualizations correctly, and recognizing the context and lineage behind any dataset to assess its reliability. It also involves translating insights into action, from spotting trends to asking the right questions about anomalies or biases, says Choudhary.Non-technical teams also need to be aware of privacy laws, ethical considerations (like data bias) and the principles of fair use. In addition, data professionals and non-data professionals need a shared language for discussing data-driven challenges and opportunities.Organizations can embed data literacy into daily operations and culture by making data-driven thinking a core part of every role, says Choudhary. Beyond formal training, this includes requiring teams to back decisions with data, providing intuitive dashboards for role-specific insights, and encouraging leadership to model data-centric behavior. Designating data champions in each department helps bridge technical and non-technical teams, while mentorship and recognition programs reward strong data use.He also says its important to Integrate data concepts into onboarding so new hires can see how data informs their specific responsibilities and that ongoing snackable learning opportunities keep everyones skills current. In addition, organizational leadership should share key metrics and success stories to encourage curiosity, so employees are empowered to explore data, question insights, and collaborate across functions to drive better outcomes.Looking ahead to 2025, data literacy will be a key driver of innovation and competitiveness. Over time, organizations may progress from literacy to fluency, where employees actively shape data-driven strategies rather than just consuming insights, says Choudhary. Those that foster transparency, accessibility and a culture of continuous learning in their data ecosystems will be best positioned to thrive in this new era.About the AuthorLisa MorganFreelance WriterLisa Morgan is a freelance writer who covers business and IT strategy and emergingtechnology for InformationWeek. She has contributed articles, reports, and other types of content to many technology, business, and mainstream publications and sites including tech pubs, The Washington Post and The Economist Intelligence Unit. Frequent areas of coverage include AI, analytics, cloud, cybersecurity, mobility, software development, and emerging cultural issues affecting the C-suite.See more from Lisa MorganNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also LikeWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore Reports

This is today's edition ofThe Download,our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. AIs energy obsession just got a reality check Just a week in, the AI sector has already seen its first battle of wits under the new Trump administration. The clash stems from two key pieces of news: the announcement of the Stargate project, which would spend $500 billionmore than the Apollo space programon new AI data centers, and the release of a powerful new open-source model from China. Together, they raise important questions the industry needs to answer about the extent to which the race for more data centerswith their heavy environmental tollis really necessary.Read the full story.James ODonnell This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here. Robotaxis: 10 Breakthrough Technologies 2025 If you live in certain cities in America or China, youve probably spotted driverless cars dropping off passengers. Perhaps youve even ridden in one yourself. Thats a radical change from even three years ago, when these services were still learning the rules of the road. And robotaxis could soon be operating in many more cities. After years of beta testing, driverless taxis are now finally becoming available to the public. In more than a dozen cities worldwide, riders can summon one whenever they want. Now, the biggest players are ramping up for intense competition as they expand into new cities under regulators watchful eyes. Read the full story. Rhiannon Williams Robotaxis is one of our 10 Breakthrough Technologies for 2025, MIT Technology Reviews annual list of tech to watch. Check out the rest of the list, and cast your vote for the honorary 11th breakthrough. The must-reads Ive combed the internet to find you todays most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 DeepSeeks AI model is sending US data to ChinaWhich could open it up to a lot of scrutiny in the US. (Wired $) + The models popularity has made it a cyber attack target. (The Guardian)+ The company was forced to limit the number of new users registering. (The Verge)+ How a top Chinese AI model overcame US sanctions. (MIT Technology Review)2 DeepSeeks success is emboldening other Chinese startupsMoonshot and Zhipu are among the firms racing to capitalize on the worlds attention. (FT $) + DeepSeek mania has gripped the world and shaken the markets. (404 Media)+ The country is cheering on its homegrown success story. (Bloomberg $)+ And many Americans are impressed by it, too. (The Atlantic $)3 Microsoft has entered the fray to buy TikTok According to Donald Trump, at least. (WP $)+ Microsoft had originally floated buying the app back in 2020. (Reuters)4 Google Maps is changing the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America But users in Mexico will continue to see its original name. (CNBC)+ Other countries across the world will be presented with both names. (Forbes $) 5 Scammers are using AI to create blackmail videosThe clips feature AI-generated news anchors reporting on sextortion cases. (Wired $) + An AI startup made a hyperrealistic deepfake of me thats so good its scary. (MIT Technology Review)6 Amazon is seeking permission to fly drones in the North of EnglandThe retail giant is lagging behind other drone projects in the UK.(The Guardian) 7 This new fertility treatment could be a viable IVF alternativeAs well as a much less painful, invasive procedure. (The Atlantic $) + This biotech CEO decided to take her own (fertility) medicine. (MIT Technology Review)8 Yahoo is determined to become cool again By capitalizing on our obsession with nostalgia. (Insider $)9 The Pebble smartwatch is back Almost a decade after Fitbit bought the company, its relaunching. (The Verge)+ But its going to need a new name. (TechCrunch)10 How to measure the shape of the universe Subtle signals could help us to map it out. (Quanta Magazine)+ Why is the universe so complex and beautiful? (MIT Technology Review)Quote of the day It's legit invigorating to have a new competitor! OpenAI boss Sam Altman says hes not worried at all by the success of open-source AI model DeepSeek R1 in a post on X. The big story Meet the divers trying to figure out how deep humans can go February 2024 Two hundred thirty meters into one of the deepest underwater caves on Earth, Richard Harry Harris knew that not far ahead of him was a 15-meter drop leading to a place no human being had seen before.Getting there had taken two helicopters, three weeks of test dives, two tons of equipment, and hard work to overcome an unexpected number of technical problems. But in the moment, Harris was hypnotized by what was before him: the vast, black, gaping unknown.Staring into it, he felt the familiar pullmaybe he could go just a little farther. Instead, he and his diving partner, Craig Challen, decided to turn back. Thats because they werent there to set records. Instead, they were there to test what they saw as a possible key to unlocking depths beyond even 310 meters: breathing hydrogen. Read the full story.Samantha Schuyler We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.) + How to make a tasty mocktail like a pro. + Happy birthday to the one and only Billy Ocean, who recently turned the ripe old age of 75.+ Fans of video game Deep Rock Galactic are a raritya kind, welcoming and friendly gaming community.+ Hongbao, the little red envelopes given out at Lunar New Year, have a long and fascinating history.

DeepSeek has sent shockwaves through the technology, financial, and geopolitical spheres.The low-cost Chinese AI chatbot won't surprise anyone who knows Beijing's playbook.Chinese has disrupted many industries in similar fashion, including mining and electric vehicles.A Chinese startup's launch of a ChatGPT rival has startled tech gurus, stunned investors, and stupefied geopolitical commentators. But DeepSeek's upheaval of the AI race shouldn't surprise anyone familiar with China's disruption playbook.DeepSeek's debut of its latest AI models has flipped over the table, with venture capitalist Marc Andreessen hailing it as a "Sputnik moment" on X.There was broad consensus that advancing artificial intelligence would require more and more computing power. Companies were poised to line up in droves to buy Nvidia's latest graphics chips, and pour money into building sprawling data centers.President Donald Trump, SoftBank's Masayoshi Son, OpenAI's Sam Altman, and Oracle's Larry Ellison recently announced Stargate, a joint venture to invest at least $100 billion into UScomputing infrastructure to power AI progress, and as much as $500 billion over four years.DeepSeek promptly released two AI models comparable to the available US ones, saying it spent less than $6 million on computing power for one, and relied on older Nvidia H800 chips. The company has said its open-source model is 20 to 50 times cheaper to use than OpenAI's o1 model, depending on the task.The revelation floored many, especially as the US has restricted exports of powerful AI chips to China for years on national security grounds.Investors suddenly realized Nvidia might not sell as many chips in the coming years as they expected. They promptly cut its market value by almost $600 billion on Monday more than Mastercard, Exxon Mobil, or Oracle are worth. They also punished other US tech names, given the prospect of fierce foreign competition eating into future profits.DeepSeek also upturned the narrative around the global AI race, as the US lead over China suddenly doesn't look so big. The startup's founder, Liang Wenfeng, reportedly attended a private gathering last week hosted by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, suggesting the state might see DeepSeek as a way to catch up to the US despite Washington's best efforts to starve it of the components it needs.Given all the fanfare and drama, it's worth underscoring some skepticism around DeepSeek's claims regarding its models' capabilities, their total cost, and its reliance on older chips.Hammer and tongsDeepSeek is the latest example of a Chinese firm disrupting Western rivals with a lower-cost product, which has become something of a template or playbook.For example, with the help of cheap state financing and the benefits of vertically integrated supply chains, Chinese companies have flooded the markets for commodities such as nickel, lithium, graphite, cobalt, and copper, pushing down prices and forcing some Western rivals out of business.US, European, and Australian companies have struggled to be financially viable when prices are so low especially as they face stricter regulations and steeper labor costs than their Chinese rivals Hani Abuagla, a senior market analyst at XTB MENA, told Business Insider.Rock-bottom prices also discourage Western companies from making new investments, and Chinese firms have struck supply deals in resource-rich regions of Africa and South America that keep out foreign competition, he said.China's "ability to scale production rapidly often catches other regions off guard, leading to periods of oversupply," William Adams, the head of base metals and battery research at Fastmarkets, told BI."This oversupply creates challenges for new projects, particularly in the West, where companies are pressured by short-term financial goals like quarterly earnings and cash flow," Adams said. "In contrast, Chinese firms prioritize long-term planning and benefit from easier access to financing, facilitated by state-owned or state-controlled banks."Canadian politician Chrystia Freeland said last year, when she was deputy prime minister, that China was flooding the global market with nickel, rare earth metals, and other commodities. She said it was "our belief that that behavior can be intentional, can be happening with the purpose of driving companies in our country, in those of our allies, out of business.""The best illustration of China's playbook in action is in the field of critical materials, like rare earths," Steve Hanke, a professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University, told BI.China dominates worldwide production and processing of critical materials because it's made targeted investments in industrial projects and education, and provided state-backed subsidies, said the veteran currency and commodity trader and former economic advisor to Ronald Reagan.Beijing has prioritized its rare earth industry since the 1970s, closely controlling the sector and restricting foreign investments in the sector. China also prioritized education in relevant fields that Hanke dubs the "3Ms": mining and mineral engineering, metallurgical engineering, and materials science and engineering.US universities account for 80% of the top 20 universities globally, but are "nowhere to be found in mining and mineral science," Hanke said. Meanwhile, Chinese universities account for 70% of the top 20 universities in the first two specialties and 30% of the third, he said.Going electricChina's AI approach mirrors its strategy to dominate the global electric vehicle market."DeepSeek's low-cost model is similar to China's strength in offering an alternative that costs way less but only slightly less powerful, just like in electric vehicles," Phelix Lee, an equity analyst at Morningstar, told BI.China spent over a decade pouring an estimated $230 billion into electric vehicle incentives and home-grown startups, an enormous spending spree that culminated with the explosive growth of the nation's EV industry over the past few years.The Asian superpower's EV giants such as BYD have utilized their high levels of vertical integration producing everything but the tires and windows in-house on some vehicles and the country's effective stranglehold over the global supply chain for EV batteries to sell their electric vehicles for far cheaper than anywhere else. BYD is one of China's top EV makers. SOPA/Getty Images Meanwhile, China's deep talent pool of software engineers and the entry of tech companies like Xiaomi into the market has seen local companies challenge their Western rivals in software and autonomous driving, with even Ford CEO Jim Farley being wowed by Xiaomi's SU7.China made the strategic decision that its carmakers wouldn't be able to catch up with the best foreign rivals, and opted to develop electric vehicles instead, Duncan Wrigley, chief China+ economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told BI."They called it a leapfrog strategy, but it took almost two decades," he said. "Firms like BYD did much of the heavy lifting like developing the technology and squeezing down costs, but with important state help to build the market through purchase subsidies and promoting charging stations."Making waves everywhereChina has employed similar strategies to wrestle market share from Western companies in other industries.Shein and Temu have upturned the fast-fashion and e-commerce industries by competing largely on price, disrupting the likes of Zara, H&M, Amazon, and eBay.Moreover, Xiaomi has increased its share of the global smartphone market from about 2% in 2013 to about 13% last year, Statista data shows. Domestic rivals Vivo and Transsion also have also near-8% shares apiece. Apple remains the leader with a 20%-plus market share, but has lost ground in China to local players in recent months. Xiaomi is catching up to Apple in China 14. Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images Reigniting the AI raceIt's unclear just how disruptive DeepSeek will be, but it's certainly left America's AI industry reeling and raised big questions about how the technology will advance from here.The US may have set itself up for disruption by seeking to constrain China's access to the latest chips. Hanke told BI that DeepSeek showed "sanctions rarely work, and often backfire.""The US attempted to hamstring China's AI progress by imposing sanctions on graphics cards. Rather than slowing innovation, US sanctions have incentivized Chinese companies like DeepSeek to innovate and create what is now a much more effective system," he said.However, it may have been inevitable that AI would proliferate, Ian Bremmer, the president and founder of Eurasia Group, told BI."Breakthroughs will inevitably diffuse globally, with nations like China able to replicate and innovate on similar technologies in months," he said.

Visiting St. Augustine feels like stepping back in time.St. Augustine is the oldest continuously-settled city in the US. Ultima_Gaina/Getty Images If you love history, St. Augustine, located on the northeast coast of Florida, is a dream destination. Known as the oldest continuously-settled city in the US, its brick streets and Spanish colonial architecture transport you back in time.Start with a tour of the Castillo de San Marcos, a centuries-old fort overlooking the Matanzas River. Then, wander through the shops and restaurants on St. George Street.There's more to Miami than the nightlife.I love taking in the Art Deco buildings in South Beach. Alexander Spatari/Getty Images Stunning beaches, incredible nightlife, and a mix of art and culture make Miami a must-visit destination. I recommend exploring the colorful murals of Wynwood Walls, diving into Cuban culture in Little Havana, and strolling through the Art Deco buildings of South Beach.Foodies will love Miami's Latin flavors and eclectic-dining scene, and of course, no trip is complete without soaking up the sun on Miami's pristine beaches.For a quieter Miami experience, I suggest heading to nearby Key Biscayne or visiting the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.Sanibel and Captiva Islands offer the perfect relaxing getaway.Sanibel and Captiva Islands are the perfect places to hunt for seashells. ablokhin/Getty Images Sanibel and Captiva Islands on Florida's Gulf Coast are the perfect destinations for a slower-paced getaway.Famous for their beautiful beaches and seashells, these islands are great for cycling and kayaking. I also suggest visiting the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island to spot wildlife like manatees and colorful birds.These islands offer a laid-back vibe with incredible sunsets and some of the freshest seafood you'll ever taste.Orlando vacations are popular for a reason.Orlando is home to theme parks like Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld. Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for Disney Dreamers Academy No list of Florida destinations would be complete without mentioning Orlando. It's consistently one of the most-visited cities in the US and for good reason.Home to popular theme parks like Disney World, Universal, and SeaWorld, Orlando is the ultimate playground for families.Beyond the parks, I recommend spending the day pedaling on a swan boat on Lake Eola or kayaking in crystal-clear waters at the nearby Wekiwa Springs State Park.The city also has a thriving food scene, making it a great destination for foodies.There's so much to do in Key West.Tourists love taking photos at the southernmost point in the continental US. Peter Unger/Getty Images Key West, which is home to the southernmost point in the continental US, offers a laid-back vibe with plenty of character.Visitors can explore Ernest Hemingway's home, indulge in fresh seafood, and sip cocktails as they watch the sunset at Mallory Square.For a quieter side of Florida, visit Mount Dora.Mount Dora is located less than an hour north of Orlando. Jillian Cain Photography/Shutterstock Known for its boutique shops, antique stores, and waterfront views, Mount Dora is a charming small town located less than an hour north of Orlando.If you're visiting during the weekend, I suggest heading to Renninger's Flea Market & Antique Center for unique finds and vintage treasures.Don't miss a sunset boat tour on the lake or a walk along Mount Dora's historic downtown streets. It's a quieter side of Florida that feels like a step back in time.Florida's Emerald Coast is one-of-a-kind.The Florida panhandle is home to lots of stunning beaches. Jason Finn/Shutterstock Known as the Emerald Coast, the Florida panhandle is a must-visit destination. Its white-sand beaches, emerald-green water, and countless quaint beach towns make it an amazing way to explore some of Florida's most stunning locations.Destin is one of my favorite spots in this area. It's a paradise for beach lovers, with plenty of water sports, fishing, and family-friendly activities.Just a short drive from Destin, 30A features quaint seaside towns like Seaside and Rosemary Beach, where you can enjoy boutique shopping, outdoor concerts, and some of the most beautiful views in Florida.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City season five finale ends in a twisted game. The women are having an already tense dinner in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, when cast member Heather Gay suggests that they pull out their phones and share the meanest things theyve written about each other as a healing exercise. This moment is clearly designed to set up next seasons feuds, but Gay, the crafty ringleader of the bunch practically a producer on the show frames it as a necessary release for the paranoid group of friends. Naturally, the scene ends with Gays castmate and cousin Whitney Rose tricking frenemy Lisa Barlow into reading a sexually graphic rumor about her and her husband, John, which leads to Barlow reactively blurting out a sexually graphic rumor about on-and-off friend Angie Katsanevass husband, Shawn. Any rebuilt trust among the group quickly unravels, and the women are, rest assured, back at square one. With a less outrageous and colorful cast, this clearly produced moment may have landed with a thud rather than a bang. But the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City cast has discovered an effective and refreshingly simple way to approach conflict as the 10th installment in the Real Housewives universe: Give the audience what they want, no matter how pre-meditated or contrived. Meanwhile, the women of the Real Housewives of New York City reboot have struggled to create fresh, compelling storylines as the newest show in the 20-year-old franchise. Their second season also recently concluded with a jaw-dropping finale, although it was ultimately more shocking than satisfying. After a season of failed pranks and boring arguments, the finale took a sharp and disturbing turn, focusing on a cast members sexual assault and bringing out some troubling racial dynamics in the group. Both RHOSLC and the RHONY reboot have demonstrated the tricky business of joining a reality franchise so late in the game. However, after a few unbalanced seasons, RHOSLC has managed to carve out its own identity while leaning into the most classic Real Housewives tropes. Meanwhile, the level of self-awareness of the cast of RHONY is one of the reasons for its downfall. Salt Lake City proves that reality TV can be theater Since The Real Housewives of Orange County premiered on Bravo in 2006, there have been 11 different shows, almost 200 Housewives, and numerous tell-all books, all forming an exhaustive manual on how to succeed (and fail) on the popular franchises.RHOSLC, which premiered in 2020, is an example of a show that has clearly taken notes, sometimes feeling more contrived than earlier shows like RHOC and Real Housewives of New Jersey. The group of mostly practicing or excommunicated Mormons arrive each season with trivial beefs, fresh gossip, and even gimmicks (i.e., Angie Ks literal scroll of grievances against Meredith Marks this season) ready to argue with anyone at any moment. But five years in, this setup has proven to create reality TV magic, producing instantly repeatedly one-liners, like high body count hair, and indelible images, like Mary M. Cosby accidentally lurking in the background of a middle-aged womans bat mitzvah. Finally, a coterie of ladies who are always ready to play the proverbial game. Even previously difficult cast members have come a long way in serving the shows funniest moments and biggest fights. Cosby has gone from ditching group outings for the McDonalds drive-through to being a primary player in this season. Additionally, Marks dropped her disengaging act; now she is fully lunging at castmates from the back of vans. Its fair to say that the series has all but replaced the original RHONY as the campy, theatrical franchise, proving that a level of staging and blatant engineering can work on a reality show when everyone is equally committed. This more staged approach didnt always work. The shows first three seasons were heavily dominated by the series overpowering antagonist, now-felon Jen Shah. Every time the dubious marketing maven entered a scene or spoke in a confessional, it seemed like she was reading directly out of a Housewives handbook, while also lacking a much-needed sense of humor. She also weaponized receipts a classic trope until it became exhausting; to the point where the women were walking on eggshells around her when they shouldve been confronting her. Her closest friend in the cast, Gay, was particularly held back by her allegiance to Shah. Whitney Rose, Heather Gay, and Lisa Barlow during an argument on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake Citys fifth season. Fred Hayes/BravoIts no coincidence that the show has finally been allowed to breathe with Shah no longer present. (In 2023, Shah was sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison, though its since been reduced.) Notably, Gay has emerged in a more dominant role, as the voluntary guardian of the group. She seemed to assign herself this position after she uncovered the shocking revelation in season four that new cast member Monica Garcia secretly ran a gossip account that exposed dirt on several of the Housewives. Now, its become her job to side-eye the newbies and deliver a monologue about friendship at any given moment. Gay has also shown that shes eager to be the producers puppet, doing whatever it takes to keep the momentum of the show going, including leading the group into a therapy session where they spew vile things at one another. Its fascinating to watch Gay essentially replace Shah as the authoritative figure for the cast, even if the fans dont agree with it. Instead of blackmailing the cast into submission, though, shes pulling their best performances out of them. It doesnt hurt that this particular cast, even out of all the shows on Bravo, are clearly yearning to be famous. Theres pot-stirring, and then theres plot manipulation On RHONY, the women are guided by the same awareness of what it means to be an iconic Real Housewife. But while the cast of RHOSLC is eager to be Bravos show ponies, the New York Housewives have been much more hesitant to play the game. This replacement cast took over for a group of iconic but thoroughly exhausted housewives, including Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan, and Countess Luann de Lesseps, but after its first season, fans and Bravo pundits diagnosed the new RHONY with having a PR problem, aside from the women not exactly being the funniest bunch. The shows group of women, including fashion executive Jenna Lyons, were more professional and more renowned, and werent willing to scream across tables at restaurants and get excessively drunk on TV, like their endlessly amusing predecessors. The second season was a bit different. Some of the cast, mainly Brynn Whitfield and Erin Lichy, were more eager to get down and dirty, spreading rumors and causing (admittedly not that compelling) rifts among the group. However, Lichy and Whitfield struggled to recognize the difference between embracing drama and completely manipulating the plot. Whitfield, the seasons main menace, seemed to assume that the editors wouldnt reveal flashbacks of her being told one thing by her castmates and twisting it into another, or that she wouldnt get caught telling blatant lies.Andy Cohen, Brynn Whitfield, and Ubah Hassan at the Real Housewives of New York City season 15 reunion. Clifton Prescod/BravoThis all caught up to Whitfield in last weeks season finale, where her tensions with castmate Ubah Hassan come to a disturbing head. After spending most of their cast trip in Puerto Rico provoking Hassan, Whitfield gets wound up over a hypothetical Hassan throws out about Whitfield maybe sleeping with someone to get cast on the show. However, Whitfield continues to add on to the remark, claiming that Hassan used more graphic language and called her a whore. Whitfield tells the group that Hassans comment is particularly triggering because she had been raped, and that Hassan knows that. By the time this gets back to Hassan, its clear she had no idea about Whitfields assault and appears devastated by the news. At the end of the night, Whitfield eventually tells the group that Hassan may not have clocked this anecdote within a larger conversation they had. With a group of more alert Housewives, Whitfield wouldve immediately been called out for egging on Hassan and blowing up the entire exchange. (Fans online also recirculated a scene from a previous episode where Whitfield tells her brother that hes the only person shes told about the assault.) Instead, the women rush to Whitfields defense and take her word over Hassans before later admitting that theyve probably been taken advantage of by Whitfield. While producer Andy Cohen excitedly teased the seasons dark finale, it didnt suddenly make the reboot any more compelling than it had been in its short time on the air. In fact, it felt like a desperate move for an already floundering show. The lack of content warnings demonstrated a careless attitude toward the episodes subject matter. It was also frustrating that Whitfield, a white-passing biracial woman, was effectively able to weaponize her real trauma against Hassan, a dark-skinned Somali woman, and briefly turn the entire cast against her, despite Whitfields well-documented history of fabricating stories to the rest of the women. The entire encounter made Whitfield unwatchable from now on and revealed a colorist dynamic among the rest of the group. Oppositely, on RHOSLC, the women are surprisingly delicate when discussing dark subject matter, including family trauma and their scars from the Mormon church. The women, mainly Katsanevas, were especially respectful in honoring the privacy of Mary Cosby and her son, Robert Jr., when he confessed during the season that he had a drug problem and, later, went to rehab. All in all, the rules of being a good Real Housewife have never been more accessible, but the disparity between RHOSLC and RHONY proves that theres a delicate art to making a mess. Everyone has to be game and have a sense of humor. Most importantly, everyone has to know where to draw a line in the sand. Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

In my view, climate change is real and it is an existential threat. My inclination is to take dams down.The toxic chemicals that pollute our air, our water, our soils end up in our own bodies. They ruin our health in the same way that they ruin nature.Those might sound like comments from a pretty typical environmentalist: a liberal Democrat who probably reveres the outdoors and enjoys hiking, thinks about their carbon footprint, and tries to eat less meat. Instead, they were spoken by a figure whos now closely allied to President Donald Trump: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.In recent years, when hes appeared on podcasts and campaign ads, Kennedy Trumps pick to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services often brought up environmental concerns, like how pesticides are poisoning Americans, and sang the virtues of healthy soil. Kennedy is scheduled to appear before a Senate committee for his confirmation hearing on January 29.Im an environmentalist, he told right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro last April. Kennedy has the credentials. He spent more than two decades working as an environmental attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a mainstream green group, and later helped found the Waterkeeper Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for clean water. He fought polluters including the coal industry, chemical companies, and the US Navy.Thats what makes his current political alignment so surprising: Kennedy is now firmly enmeshed in the far right, and part of Team Trump the single worst environmental president our country has ever had, according to some of Kennedys former colleagues. Trump, a climate-science skeptic, rolled back more than 100 environmental rules during his first term. And on his first day in office, he signed a raft of executive orders to boost oil and gas production and roll back environmental safeguards.RFK Jr. visits the Capitol on December 18, 2024, to meet with West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito. J. Scott Applewhite/Associated PressKennedy was a longtime Democrat, and his migration to the far right has shocked many of those who have known him. But hes not alone in this journey. Its part of a much broader shift in the environmental movement. For decades, most mainstream green advocacy groups and top environmental scientists have been largely aligned with Democratic policies and leaders. Now, however, many people who are advocating for conservation, including clean water, air, and soil, have fallen into the far right and voted Trump into power. Its not uncommon to hear right-wing influencers talk about regenerative agriculture or Kennedy supporters raising concerns about environmental pollutants. While its not clear how much power they will ultimately wield in the Trump administration, they represent a new and increasingly visible right-wing environmentalism or what sociologist Holly Jean Buck has called para-environmentalism.Kennedys rightward trajectory and new position within the MAGA movement are the latest indication that ideas that were once a core part of environmentalism are veering in a strange direction, Buck, an associate professor at the University of Buffalo, wrote in Compact magazine in November. Call it para-environmentalism. Like other para-phenomena, such as paramilitaries or the paranormal, para-environmentalism exists outside of the realm of official institutions and structures at least for now.Across even the farthest stretches of the political spectrum are shared environmental goals: healthier land and healthier people. Everyone wants that. What stands in the way of a more unified environmental movement is that different political blocs have wildly different approaches to making the planet healthier. People on the far-right tend to distrust institutions including science agencies and big green groups, which form the backbone of the mainstream environmental movement. Members of this group also oppose action that centers on carbon and climate change; their concerns are more local, whether about water quality or immigration and grocery prices.This leaves the modern green movement in a tough spot as it stares down four more years under Trump. How can its leaders work with a coalition of people who see them, the mainstream, as part of the problem and should they? Get in touch with us!Do you have feedback or a tip to share? Wed love to hear from you. Reach out to benji.jones@vox.com.Meet the far-right environmentalistConserving nature wasnt always considered at odds with the Republican Party. In fact, the movement to protect wildlife was born from the minds and actions of GOP leaders. More than a century ago, elite, Republican hunters most famously, Teddy Roosevelt witnessed the decline of charismatic species like bison and used their power to protect them. They supported, and in some cases helped create, environmental institutions like the national parks system.That legacy of conservation lives on to an extent in the modern Republican Party. The waning number of hunters and anglers of today still lean more conservative, partly due to their stance on gun rights. And by and large, they back mainstream conservation policies, such as protecting public access to federal land, said Aaron Weiss, deputy director at the Center for Western Priorities, a group that advocates for public lands. Theres also a crop of moderate conservatives, including many youth, who worry about climate change and support conservation and clean energy.This new brand of far-right environmentalism that Kennedy embodies is something different. My reporting, including more than a dozen interviews with sociologists, conservative influencers, and mainstream environmentalists, identified two loose and partly overlapping strains. One consists of those who rail against environmental toxins as part of Kennedys Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) coalition. Another comprises back-to-the-land libertarians who see salvation in growing ones own food, maintaining healthy soil, and embracing self-sufficiency.A controlled burn released a dark plume of smoke over East Palestine, Ohio, following the Norfolk Southern train derailment in 2023. Gene J. Puskar/Associated PressMAHA environmentalism is rooted in a fear that were all being poisoned that pesticides, food additives, seed oils, and chemicals in the air are the root of chronic illness in America. The perpetrators, they claim, are Big Agriculture, Big Pharma, and other big corporations. A core belief is that industries have infiltrated federal agencies like the Food and Drug Administration that should be keeping Americans safe. Many of the most outspoken MAHA figures promote and sell alternatives to conventional foods and health care, such as nutritional supplements. (MAHA figures including Kennedy also frequently assert that vaccines are unsafe and cause autism. Neither claims are supported by decades of scientific research.)I recently spoke with Reinette Senum, a blogger and former mayor of Nevada City, California, who has spoken out against what she says are covert efforts to manipulate the atmosphere. Senum, who identifies as MAHA, describes herself as a former environmentalist and recovering climate change believer.A number of experiences fueled her distrust of climate science. More than a decade ago, when Senum worked for a building-efficiency organization in California, she raised questions about whether retrofitting buildings is so resource-intensive that it actually offsets the climate benefits, she said. The managing director of the organization, known then as the California Building Performance Contractors Association, told her that those calculations didnt exist, she said. I believed in alternative energy, and I realized it was a lie, Senum said. Senum later had a smart meter installed in her home. Shortly after, she said, she started having trouble sleeping and became extremely sensitive to sound symptoms that she attributes to the smart meter. (Smart meters, as well as 5G and GMO foods, are all dubious for many in the MAHA movement, some of whom happen to reside in my hometown of Fairfield, Iowa.)Trump visits Valdosta, Georgia, on September 30, 2024, after it was hit by Hurricane Helene. Michael M. Santiago/Getty ImagesLike many other MAHA followers, Senum said she is worried about the environment, and the dark forces that pollute it, whether or not theyre visible. And like some mainstream environmental organizations, shes fighting against geo-engineering, large-scale modifications to the planets climate to limit warming, a field that is still largely experimental. The problem with left-wing green groups, Senum said, is that theyve become too fixated on the climate change boondoggle and have ignored what people are actually concerned about.Nobody talks about water quality, she said of left-wing environmentalists. They dont talk about air quality. They dont talk about pollution. They dont talk about heavy metals in the air. Or GMOs. The left environmental movement literally got infiltrated and usurped by climate change. Theyre so hyperfocused on that that theyre no longer focusing on the environment.A representative from Kennedys team told Vox that Kennedy was unavailable for an interview, in December. The representative did not respond to subsequent emails, including a detailed request for comment.The other, overlapping strand of far-right environmentalism is more focused on land and soil. A number of influential figures, including US Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and farmer Joel Salatin, advocate for locally grown food and farms that are free from the influence of Big Government and Big Business. Pastoral libertarians, as you might call them, glorify an earlier time before industrial agriculture, and are obsessed with the purity of what we eat and drink. What we are witnessing in the growing prominence of far-right environmentalism of recent years is a revival of an older kind of ecological and political thinking, a traditional attachment to home, to soil, to blood, Leigh Phillips wrote in Noema. Cattle on a ranch that practices regenerative agriculture in Cimarron, New Mexico. Mario Tama/Getty ImagesMuch of the far right has embraced regenerative agriculture a squishy term that broadly refers to farming practices that are meant to regenerate, or improve, the health of land rather than degrade it. These practices include planting cover crops that can improve soil health and avoiding chemicals that degrade it. Regenerative agriculture has caught on among far-right figures likely because it enables a person to have a more self-sufficient farm, requiring fewer inputs, such as pesticides made by big companies and subsidized by the federal government. Advocates of the practice say it also produces more nutritious food.Regenerative agriculture, its the truth, said RC Carter, a rancher in Wyoming who sells what he calls nutrient-dense beef. He didnt vote in the recent presidential election, doesnt trust most Democratic or Republican leaders, and resists being clumped into any one group. The only way you can get nutrient-dense food is if it comes from healthy soils, Carter told me.People are so confused and so lost, and if youre eating healthy food, that is a foundational piece to having clear thoughts.What unifies this new brand of environmentalismThe most apparent trait that unites these far-right perspectives is distrust of the government, of large scientific organizations, of big corporations. Distrust is so potent that even quality information produced by these institutions, whether on vaccine safety or climate change, doesnt break through and alter beliefs. I saw this firsthand in East Palestine, Ohio, following the train derailment in early 2023. There were legitimate criticisms of the government response, but government data on air and water quality had little bearing on whether residents, the majority of whom voted for Trump in 2020 and 2024, felt safe.But theres another, more opaque thread among right-wing environmental beliefs, according to Jesse Bryant, a sociologist at Yale University: a yearning for a religious or pseudo-religious purity. The idea here is that our ecosystems, our soils, our bodies, and our minds are polluted whether by pesticides or by liberal ideas and that makes it harder to access God, or spiritual enlightenment. Its very clear having spent a lot of time in far-right online spaces that purity and pollution binaries drive a lot of [right-wing] ideologizing, said Bryant, who studies environmental perspectives in far-right communities. This perspective likely stems from Christian culture and beliefs, a powerful force in right-wing politics. According to Christian teachings, human bodies are made in Gods image, and so they are naturally pure. Pollution, or impurity, is akin to sin. And sin can weaken our relationship with God. Similarly, from a New Age spiritual perspective more common among members of the MAHA coalition loading our bodies with impurities, which could include pesticide-ridden foods, is considered an impediment to reaching spiritual enlightenment.That these ideas influence political views are supported by a 2012 study published in Psychological Science. It found that people who identify as conservatives tend to be less concerned about the environment than those who identify as liberal, yet they are motivated to protect nature with messaging around purity. We found that reframing pro-environmental rhetoric in terms of purity, a moral value resonating primarily among conservatives, largely eliminated the difference between liberals and conservatives environmental attitudes, the authors wrote. In a conversation with right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson in August, Kennedy said, the reason that we protect the environment is because theres a spiritual connection. When we destroy nature, Kennedy said, we diminish our capacity to sense the divine, to understand who God is and what our own potential is and duties are as human beings.Ben Hickey for VoxIdeas around purity and nature have also been used over the years to justify racism and abuse. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the US government, in the name of protecting nature, forcefully removed Indigenous people from their lands to establish national parks. The very definition of wilderness areas promoted the idea that an unpeopled, wild landscape was pristine, pure, and unspoiled, even though Indigenous people lived on such lands for tens of thousands of years. These racist perspectives that people, and especially brown people, are an impediment to achieving the ideal nature were popular even among mainstream environmentalists in the 20th century. And theyve lingered. Trumps racist remarks about immigrants, such as saying in 2023 that illegal immigration is poisoning the blood of our nation, is merely another iteration of a purity-pollution dichotomy that has long been present among environmentalists.Seeds of truthMany of the environmental concerns raised by members of the far right, MAHA and MAGA alike, are rooted in fact. Pesticides can be dangerous, especially to farmworkers and native insects, including bees. Studies in rigorous journals have linked pesticide exposure to, for example, increased mortality in US adults, ADHD in children, and Alzheimers disease. Earlier this month, a study linked exposure to the herbicide Glyphosate to a reduction in birthweight.Industrial farming has utterly devastated native ecosystems across the Midwest and completely removed at least a quarter of the topsoil in the Corn Belt. Compared to that loss, regenerative agriculture no matter how you define it is a more sustainable option.A tractor sprays pesticides on a farm in Centreville, Maryland, on April 25, 2022. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty ImagesMore than a third of Americans have at least one major chronic disease, such as diabetes, especially people who are living in the Southeast. And the prevalence of these illnesses is increasing, in part, because of poor nutrition. Big corporations and billionaires do influence US policy and government agencies, and its a problem. Federal and state lobbyists spent more than $46 billion between 2015 and 2023, according to OpenSecrets.Their concerns are grounded in real things, said Buck, the University of Buffalo sociologist and author of After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair, and Restoration and Ending Fossil Fuels: Why Net Zero Is Not Enough.But although the far right is pointing out legitimate problems which concern mainstream environmentalists, too supporting Trump and deregulation is likely only going to make them worse.For example, if this new environmental coalition wants to solve the problem of corporate influence, theyre going to run into challenges: In Trumps first two years in office, his administration enabled unprecedented corporate capture of federal regulatory agencies, according to a 2019 report. The report outlines how, for example, the National Association of Manufacturers, a trade association, sent his administration a wish list of 132 regulations to act on, and his government followed through on the bulk of them. In his first term, Trump was incredibly friendly to polluters. His administration rolled back more than 100 environmental rules, including those meant to curb toxic air pollutants, limit pesticide exposure, and protect streams from coal mining debris problems caused largely by big companies. Under his administration, some EPA scientists say they were pressured to downplay the risks of new chemicals, according to reporting by ProPublica. Trump has already indicated that his new administration will be similarly favorable to Big Business and billionaires. In a December post on his platform Truth Social, he said, any person or company investing one billion dollars, or more, in the United States of America, will receive fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all environmental approvals. The process for getting project approvals is partly meant to ensure they dont harm US citizens or sensitive ecosystems. Trump, meanwhile, has already named former chemical industry executives to top posts at the Environmental Protection Agency. Elon Musk at Trumps campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on October 5, 2024. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk the worlds richest man, who helped propel Trump to victory has shown his ability to influence high-stakes government decision-making. Musk and other tech titans were key players in Trumps transition team, involved in hiring decisions for his incoming administration, the New York Times reported in December. Musk, along with Amazons Jeff Bezos and Metas Mark Zuckerberg who are collectively worth close to $1 trillion attended Trumps inauguration, and were seated in front of the presidents Cabinet picks.More broadly, a push to deregulate which Trump and his base widely support is at odds with efforts to curtail harmful chemicals and our exposure to them. Regulations are designed to prevent harmful substances from entering our soil, water, and air. This doesnt mean theyre working perfectly or doing enough or easy to follow, but pollution would likely be worse with fewer of those rules in place. Regulations are about setting a level playing field so that business can go out and do its job and earn profits, but make sure that you dont have bad actors out there skewing the playing field by harming folks because it benefits their bottom line, said Matthew Tejada, senior vice president of environmental health at NRDC. Without regulations, said Tejada, a former EPA senior staffer, you get a race to the bottom, meaning the worst actors the companies least focused on, say, reducing air pollution set the standard for other companies.Regulatory experts I spoke to were clear that if RFK Jr. wants to crack down on food dyes and pesticides, he would need to pursue new regulations and not tear existing ones down. His ability to do that will be limited, even if hes confirmed to lead HHS.I dont think hes going to beat Big Food, said Ken Cook, president and cofounder of Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization focused on ridding environmental toxins from food and water. He cant walk down the hall to FDA and say, Hey, all these food additives are banned in Europe so were going to ban them here. Industry is going to push back and theyre probably going to win. This points to an obvious rift in the new administration and the modern Republican Party: Trump has curried the favor of billionaires and deregulatory crusaders and yet members of his coalition say they want to reign in corporate influence and pollution. But although those attitudes are at odds, it might not matter. Most people support Trump not because of his stance on environmental issues but because of his rhetoric around immigration and the economy. Its also not clear how large or powerful this new band of right-wing environmentalists really is, and whether they can really influence the administration. Some Trump administration appointments already seem to be in direct tension with the MAHA coalition. Fire engulfs a home in the Altadena area of Los Angeles on January 8. Research shows that climate change can worsen wildfires. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty ImagesJust as support for Trump and deregulation is at odds with a desire for a healthy environment, so is an allergy to climate action.Many MAHA and MAGA people with environmental concerns tend to criticize clean energy and downplay the impacts of the oil and gas industry. Part of that belief stems from a rejection of globalization and hyper growth a more traditional conservative ideology. A self-sufficient, pastoral lifestyle doesnt mesh with a highly modern, massive solar farm that centralizes energy production (let alone the huge, power-hungry data centers that Trumps new friends in the tech industry demand to support the growth of artificial intelligence).These beliefs are reinforced by misinformation. This includes claims that lifetime carbon emissions of EVs are comparable or higher to combustion cars. (Theyre not.) Or that clean energy sources pollute the environment more than fossil fuels. (They dont.) Or that offshore wind turbines are killing whales. (Theres no scientific evidence to suggest that.)Theyre all made in China and when they explode which one did off of Nantucket a month ago they put shards into the water so you cant swim without getting cut, Kennedy said of offshore wind turbines on a podcast in September. (Last summer, blades of the turbine, which was manufactured by an American company, folded over and broke off into the ocean.) Theyre killing the whales. The environmental movement doesnt care. They built these and they are destroying the whale populations and everybody knows it.This isnt correct. The reality is that oil, gas, and coal have been federally subsidized for hundreds of years. Their staying power is in part the result of big government. Even if you ignore the impacts of climate change, these fuels have been definitively tied to air pollution including nitrous oxides, carbon monoxide, and ozone, compounds widely known to harm human health. A peer-reviewed study published in the journal Environmental Research in 2021 attributed more than 10 million premature deaths each year, globally, to air pollution from burning fossil fuels. Its not surprising that people who live near petrochemical plants have higher rates of cancer. (That doesnt mean clean energy sources are pollution-free theyre definitely not. But comparatively, they are a heck of a lot safer.)Then of course there are the impacts of rising temperatures, which are increasingly hard to ignore. The planet is about 1.3 degrees Celsius warmer today than it was in the late 1800s. Yes, there have been hotter periods in Earths past, but not during modern civilization and the warming has never happened this fast.Human populations and ecosystems are struggling to keep up with the rate of change. In the Florida Keys, for example, extreme ocean temperatures have helped wipe out coral reefs, a critical structure for dampening waves that flood coastal communities during hurricanes. Healthy coral cover in the Keys has declined by at least 90 percent in the last half century. Monroe County, which encompasses the Florida Keys, overwhelmingly supported Trump in the past election.Against this backdrop, Trump has put drill, baby, drill at the center of his agenda. On his first day in office, he signed several executive orders intended to accelerate fossil fuel production. These include trying to open up vast stretches of Alaskan wilderness to drilling and logging, and eliminating efforts to protect poor communities from pollution.Chris Wright is sworn in during his Senate confirmation hearing on January 15. Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesA protester at Wrights confirmation hearing. Kayla Bartkowski/Getty ImagesTrumps pick to run the Department of Energy is also telling, though unsurprising. Chris Wright is the founder, CEO, and chair of the board of Liberty Energy, one of the nations largest fracking services companies. In a video on LinkedIn in 2023, he said, there is no climate crisis, and were not in the midst of an energy transition, either.Whats next for the environmental movement?Trump is back in the White House, and many environmental problems wildfires, hurricanes, habitat loss are worse today than ever before. Where does the environmental movement go from here?Fortunately, there is common ground between far-right and mainstream environmentalists: a desire for clean air, water, and soil, and accountability for big corporations that negatively impact the environment. Among these disparate factions, polluting companies are a common enemy, even though the Republican Party has traditionally, and under Trump, favored polluters. We have far more in common than we dont, said Ben Jealous, the executive director of the Sierra Club, one of the nations oldest and largest environmental organizations. When you hear Americans of any political stripe express concern about pesticides, express a desire for clean air, clean water, and healthy food, express a preference for anything related to reviving small farms what that affirms for me is that our issues, our [environmental] agenda, is more popular than either party.The Sierra Club and other big green groups acknowledge that they need to do a better job at talking about these common concerns. We cant talk about gigatons of carbon equivalents, said Tejada of the NRDC. Like nobody knows or cares. We can talk about the fact, though, that a storm hit West North Carolina a couple months ago that left $60 billion worth of damage that nobody knows how to pay for.Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, speaks at a climate protest in Washington, DC, on March 21, 2023. Matt McClain/Washington Post via Getty ImagesAs Jealous put it, the problem with the environmental movement is not what we say, its literally how we say it.Green groups could adjust their messaging, and perhaps get more of the right behind their cause. This may work in local fights to protect a city park, for example, or clean up a stream. It is not, however, in the publics interest to abandon efforts to tackle climate change; lowering carbon and expanding clean energy are integral to those efforts. Plus, ditching carbon from the green vocabulary wont suddenly dissolve political divides. There are much bigger hurdles to building a more unified environmental movement. Common among the far right is what Whitney Phillips, a media studies researcher and co-author of a forthcoming book on anti-liberalism, calls anti-liberal demonology: the idea that liberals, a group that is not clearly defined, are an evil force that is polluting the real America. Most mainstream green organizations, Democratic policymakers, and scientists again, pillars of the modern environmental movement are seen as liberal and thus deeply mistrusted. To the far right, they are inextricably linked to the very pollutants, the impurities, that theyre trying to get rid of (even though these groups are arguably doing more than any other to clean up pollution).Without resolving these deeply entrenched trust issues, its unlikely that far right and mainstream environmental leaders will be fighting these problems together. If youre trying to work with people who are on the left, but you hate people on the left, Phillips said, how the fuck is that supposed to work?Umair Irfan contributed reporting.Youve read 1 article in the last monthHere at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country.Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change.We rely on readers like you join us.Swati SharmaVox Editor-in-ChiefSee More:

The Switch 2's price has leaked, and while fans are still keen on Nintendo's new system, some are cautious that it might be too expensive for the features it offersTech13:22, 28 Jan 2025Updated 13:23, 28 Jan 2025Switch 2 is coming this yearNintendo has finally revealed the Switch 2, but in doing so it's just got us counting down the days until its full unveiling on April 2.The company revealed the hardware earlier this month and showed off an early glimpse at a new Mario Kart game, but now on leaker has revealed how much it'll cost.We'd previously heard suggestions the console will cost $400 (around 325) but a new suggestion has pointed to a higher price that's still cheaper than the launch price of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, and is much cheaper than the PS5 Pro.Content cannot be displayed without consentPosting on X (formerly Twitter), longtime insider Shpeshal_Nick said "So if the person who told me June release is all but confirmed to be correct, then that could mean the pricing they gave me of $449/$499USD might also be correct.""Think the $50 extra is a Mario Kart Bundle," they added, suggesting Nintendo could be leaning on the new Mario Kart as a big system seller.That would make the Switch 2 around 360 with the current exchange rate, almost half the price of the PS5 Pro, while a potential Mario Kart bundle would come in at around 400 50 cheaper than the launch PS5 and Xbox Series X when they launched in 2020.Over on Reddit, one commenter pointed out that we still don't know if there's an OLED display, and said that'll be a dealbreaker for them."Only way I'm paying $449 is if it has an OLED screen," they said, while another replied, "I tell myself that, but I know it's not true"."Whatever the price just take my money already. The last console has lasted me 8 years. Money well spent," one added.Article continues belowFor more on the Switch 2, be sure to check out what could be the least family-friendly game on the system, and the first list of confirmed games.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.RECOMMENDED