For weeks now, the global tech industry has been waiting for a major artificial intelligence launch from DeepSeek, seen as a benchmark for China¡¯s progress in the fast-moving field.

More than a year has passed since the startup put Chinese AI on the map in early 2025 with a low-cost chatbot that performed at a similar level to U.S. rivals.

But despite reports and rumours about its imminent release, DeepSeek¡¯s next-generation ¡°V4¡± model is nowhere in sight.