Four weeks ago, folks were throwing money at Chinese AI firm DeepSeek like it was the second coming of open source. Now? Hedge funds are pulling out. The Hang Seng’s AI buzz is fading, and the smart money’s heading for the exits. Surprise, surprise.

See, this is why I tell my people—especially the smaller IT shops and budget-conscious orgs—not to buy into momentum plays without a long-term plan. DeepSeek had flash, but little clarity on governance, licensing, or even the fundamentals of what it was trained on. And now that the speculators have had their fun, we’re seeing the other side of the curve.

Lesson? Stay curious, not impulsive. Use this moment to vet your vendors. Don’t just chase low-cost AI—chase partners who will still be around next quarter. Oh, yeah…..and READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS!!!