Microsoft has announced the integration of the DeepSeek R1 model developed by the Chinese AI lab DeepSeek into its Azure AI Foundry and GitHub platform. The inclusion of the model in the Microsoft AI ecosystem confirms the growing recognition of the Chinese company in the field of artificial intelligence. Asha Sharma, Microsoft's Vice President of AI Platform, said:
“One of the key advantages of using DeepSeek R1 or any other model on Azure AI Foundry is the speed at which developers can experiment, iterate, and integrate AI into their workflows. DeepSeek R1 has undergone rigorous red teaming and safety evaluations, including automated assessments of model behavior and extensive security reviews to mitigate potential risks.”
The DeepSeek R1 model was released as open-source only earlier this month, and Microsoft has already promptly added it to the Azure AI Foundry. The company also plans to offer a smaller version of R1 that can run locally on Copilot+ PCs, which may mean its further use in other Microsoft AI services.
Interestingly, Microsoft has not been deterred by OpenAI's accusations against DeepSeek of illegally using its models to train Chinese AI, even though the company is OpenAI's closest partner and helps to conduct investigations into possible intellectual property theft by DeepSeek. Microsoft and OpenAI are currently investigating possible violations, but have not yet released official comments.