So, what happens in marketing if DeepSeek makes AI 10 times cheaper?

Digital marketing expert, and agency founder, Ashley Bolser, reacts to Chinese AI firm DeepSeek bursting on to the scene as (supposedly more efficient) competition to OpenAI. Here are the repercussions in the marketing space.
We stand at a watershed moment, marked by the emergence of DeepSeek, a large language model that operates at less than a tenth of current industry costs. This represents more than just another AI model – it signals a fundamental shift in what’s possible.
As DeepSeek demonstrates the feasibility of dramatically lower computing costs, it is opening the way for a new generation of affordable AI solutions that will transform how organizations approach artificial intelligence. For the marketing industry, this cost revolution promises to reshape everything from customer engagement to campaign optimization.
Consider how cost has historically shaped technology adoption. When TV advertising began, only the largest brands could afford prime-time slots. As costs decreased and cable/satellite channels proliferated, television advertising became accessible to local businesses. The same pattern emerged with digital advertising – what began as the domain of major corporations eventually became a standard tool for businesses of all sizes.
The current AI landscape mirrors those early days of TV. While major brands experiment with sophisticated AI applications, most organizations limit themselves to basic chatbots or modest automation tools. The barrier isn’t technological capability – it’s cost. When running advanced AI systems costs thousands of pounds per month, organisations must carefully ration their use, limiting applications to high-value interactions or specific campaigns.
But what happens when that cost drops by 90%?
AI transforms from a carefully rationed resource to a ubiquitous utility at a tenth of current prices. Marketing teams could deploy AI across every customer touchpoint, analyze every campaign in real-time, and personalize every interaction without watching the meter tick.
This cost reduction reshapes the competitive landscape in several ways. First, it democratizes access to sophisticated marketing tools, allowing smaller businesses to access capabilities previously reserved for enterprises. Second, it encourages experimentation when every AI interaction costs pennies instead of pounds. Third, it enables continuous operation rather than campaign-based deployment.
However, challenges remain.
The rush to adopt cheaper AI solutions must be balanced against reliability requirements. A marketing automation system that fails during a major campaign can cost far more than the savings from a cheaper AI model. Geographic considerations and data sovereignty also require careful attention.
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Looking ahead, the marketing industry will likely split into two camps: those who see cheaper AI as a way to do the same things for less money and those who recognize it as an opportunity to reimagine their entire approach to customer engagement. The most successful organizations will be those using the cost reduction to deploy AI in ways previously considered impractical.
The real limitation may not be the technology itself but our ability to imagine new possibilities.
As AI becomes a commodity rather than a luxury, the competitive advantage will shift from access to implementation. Success will depend not on having the technology – which will be widely available – but on developing innovative ways to apply it.
For the marketing and advertising industry, this cost reduction marks the beginning of a new era. The question isn’t whether organizations will adopt cheaper AI solutions but how quickly they’ll recognize and adapt to the new possibilities they enable.
Continue the conversation with Ashley here.
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