SUBSCRIBERS

Behind the AI bubble, another tech revolution could be brewing

Today’s eye-popping valuations are based on the assumption that large language models are the only game in town

    • DeepSeek showed that there are ways to build cheaper, scaled-down variants of AI, raising the prospect that LLMs will become commoditised.
    • DeepSeek showed that there are ways to build cheaper, scaled-down variants of AI, raising the prospect that LLMs will become commoditised. PHOTO: REUTERS
    Published Fri, Nov 21, 2025 · 06:51 PM

    THIS week, Jensen Huang – the charismatic leather jacket-wearing head of Nvidia – has dominated headlines. No wonder: On Wednesday (Nov 19) his company, which is a bellwether for the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, revealed its third-quarter revenue of US$57 billion, 62 per cent higher year on year.

    That sent tech stocks soaring, after they had slumped earlier on fears that AI valuations are in bubble territory. In other words, they are displaying “elements of irrationality”, to cite Sundar Pichai, head of Google owner Alphabet.

    And Huang duly celebrated. “There has been a lot of talk about an AI bubble. (But) from our vantage point, we see something very different,” he declared, noting sky-high demand for his chips.

    Decoding Asia newsletter: your guide to navigating Asia in a new global order. Sign up here to get Decoding Asia newsletter. Delivered to your inbox. Free.

    Share with us your feedback on BT's products and services