The meteoric rise of DeepSeek has dramatically reshaped the futures of numerous AI companies and entrepreneurs eager to capitalize on the technology's surgeRecent statistics from QuestMobile reveal that on January 28, DeepSeek's daily active users surpassed those of Doubao for the first time, and by February 1, the app eclipsed 30 million users, making it the fastest application to reach this milestone in history.

DeepSeek's impact spreads like ripples from a stone thrown into a lake, affecting various circles and allowing even those picking up the scattered pieces to benefitSome companies have cleverly leveraged DeepSeek's popularity by enticing users to pay 198 yuan for counterfeit versions of the appA report from Qihoo 360's XLab indicates that there are currently 2,650 websites impersonating DeepSeek while conducting phishing schemes, and this number continues to grow rapidly.

A prevalent phenomenon across major social media platforms is the emergence of an overwhelming number of stories touting newfound wealth achieved through DeepSeekOn Douyin, a blogger sold a course titled “Methodology for Running a One-Person Company + DeepSeek” for 1999 yuan; during a three-hour live-stream on February 5, sales reached over 50,000 yuanAdditionally, a course on the paid knowledge community platform Zhihu, named “Efficient Ways to Make Small Money,” saw 7,700 participants invest 62 yuan in seven days, generating an income close to 480,000 yuanArticles exploiting the DeepSeek trend often garner over a hundred thousand views, promoting rapid account growth and follower acquisition.

One product optimized for DeepSeek, a specialized mouse, achieved sales between 750,000 and 1 million yuan on Douyin by February 6, with daily sales increasing nearly a hundredfold compared to JanuaryA market frenzy targeting DeepSeek's value has ensued, with some profiting from information asymmetries and exiting quickly, others launching side businesses using AI tools, while many merely seeking to harness technology to ride the wave of change become hapless victims.

Is selling anxiety about AI the first step to harvesting profits? “If you aren’t savvy with AI, you’ll be left behind by the times,” and “This is the last chance for ordinary individuals to alter their destiny,” are messages that flooded Wang Wen’s social media feeds after the holiday

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As the work week began, she noted a persistent amplification of DeepSeek’s allure; clicking on promotional videos usually revealed alarming headlines, with presenters urgently propelling a narrative of technological anxiety, all communicating the same warning—miss out on this DeepSeek windfall at your peril.

The course-selling entrepreneurs were the first to detect DeepSeek’s economic potentialOn e-commerce platforms like Taobao and Xianyu, numerous sellers began offering courses related to DeepSeek priced between 0.01 yuan and 1,000 yuanBasic versions teach users how to register for DeepSeek, input commands, and optimize their contentMore advanced courses focus on providing AI services, using DeepSeek to generate advertising copy, often paired with video production tools like Jianying to create popular contentOne seller on Xianyu informed that after just two days of publishing course links, 1,000 users had already placed orders; previously selling various workplace skill courses, he pivoted to tap into the hottest trend of paid projects following DeepSeek’s explosive success.

After being inundated with information, Wang Wen decided to join an AI learning community that promised to help members “outpace 90% of their peers” and revealed “three key mindsets for earning over ten thousand monthly in the AI era.” The group owner touted his credentials as an AI entrepreneur with a history of earning tens of millions in income and a far-reaching networkWang was assigned to a discussion group labeled number 13; within an hour, the group swelled by nearly 50 members, and she felt fortunate to be catching the AI express train.

However, the real focus of the community quickly became encouraging members to purchase a course priced around 1,000 yuanWang Ping realized that the so-called experts were ultimately looking to package the know-how of using DeepSeek into a “get-rich-quick manual” to monetize their traffic. “At one point it was claimed that if you bought the course in the live stream, you could save 20,000 yuan

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A lot of group members jumped at the opportunity, eager not to miss this technological revolution,” Wang Ping recounted.

Over the past two years, as artificial intelligence surged, numerous so-called AI gurus have emerged, with Li Yizhou being one of the most representative figures, dubbed the “Godfather of AI Courses” in ChinaAt the beginning of 2023, the whirlwind of ChatGPT's popularity hit, prompting Li to abandon his successful Douyin course selling over two million monthly, instead launching "An AI Course Essential for Every Family." Within less than a month, a 199 yuan course on GPT sold 200,000 copies, amassing over 40 million yuan in revenue.

Lulu, having previously been a victim of deceptive course sales, decided to stay clear of seeking income through DeepSeek's quickly generated wealthShe found herself ensnared in multiple ChatGPT courses, largely mediocre compilations of the internet with minimal substantive content, where advertising took precedence over genuine educational value, providing no ongoing technical support thereafter.

Moreover, numerous instances exist of people profiting from exploiting the AI knowledge gapA report titled "DeepSeek: From Beginner to Advanced," produced by Tsinghua University, became a necessary tool for those captivated by AI, with numerous bloggers selling it for a fee on their personal accountsThis led to a remarkable response from the producing team, informing the public that the report had amassed over ten million reads in a short time without any authorized third-party sales—what's more, it was entirely free.

<p“Initially, I thought, ‘If I don’t learn to master AI, I’ll face extinction,’ but later realized that the course materials were not much different from the free versionsMost of it constituted widely available basic knowledge, failing to equip learners with advanced skills,” Lulu expressed.

While some individuals use AI to generate wealth, others have found ways to save money with it

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Wang Hao, an internet practitioner, remarked, “If you can’t leverage ChatGPT for income, it’s tough to grasp the wealth keys from DeepSeek.” He believes that profiting from DeepSeek mirrors the initial course-selling frenzy following ChatGPT’s release, in which many individuals often seize the early benefits before their companies in the AI industry can catch up.

Over the past two years, Wang Hao has managed an AI customer service project that still has not fully crystallized. “Many enterprises have a limited grasp of AI’s applications, resulting in lofty expectations and soaring communication costs for mere solution coordination,” he said.

Zou Ming stands as one of the first beneficiaries of AI, having consistently adjusted parameters to enable AI to grasp various writing styles, allowing him to accept advertising copy commissions. “AI’s logical methodology often sparks fresh creative angles, enhancing work efficiencyA task that used to take four hours can now be completed in roughly two, while it also assists in generating varied promotional text and ad slogans, although it seldom results in overnight riches,” Zou commentedIn optimal conditions, AI usage might augment his monthly income by around 1,000 yuan.

Some users, unwilling to pay for AI courses, have sought alternative methods to save moneyRepresentational of AI applications, DeepSeek has made significant strides in consulting fields, encompassing high school subject selection, managing intimate relationships, and even delving into esoteric topics.

On platforms like Xiaohongshu, many tutorials on employing DeepSeek for astrology calculations have turned into traffic magnetsA note titled “Simplified DeepSeek Fortune-Telling” garnered 5,000 likes and 4,000 collections.

Born after 2000, Mengjie uses DeepSeek as her therapist and emotional confidanteShe opens the app more than ten times daily, turning to the AI tool for assistance with challenging real-world relationships

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