DeepSeek is 自主节俭创新 (indigenous and frugal Chinese innovation)
In our 2012 book Jugaad Innovation, we explained how jugaad (a Hindi work for resourceful improvisation) is a universal concept & practice found in other cultures.
In Brazil, it’s called Gambiarra
In France and French-speaking Africa, it’s referred to as Système D
In Nigeria, it’s known as Kanju
In China, we thought it’s called 自主创新 — Zizhu Chuangxin
Zizhu (自主)means self-governed or self-determined, 创新 Chuangxin means innovation.
Hence, Zizhu Chuangxin means indigenous innovation.
zìzhǔ chuàngxīn is “a term frequently used in China by the Chinese government, academics, and businesses to describe the Chinese technology-led economic transformation in the past decades”.
The term zizhu chuangxin (自主创新) first appeared in 1994 when Dr. Chen Jin at Tsinghua University referenced the term in his research on tech-led innovation in the electronics industry in China.
As Dr Chen Jin explained to me: “(In China), Zizhu Chuangxin — or indigenous innovation — means tech self-reliance instead of foreign-tech controlled, more core technologies developed by homegrown (Chinese) R&D.”
While zizhu chuangxin was very popular in China in 1990s and 2000s, it became less so in the 2010s.
So much so that in 2016, when our book Jugaad Innovation was translated and published by Tsinghua University in Chinese, it was translated as 朴素式 创新 or Simple Innovation (Simple as in No-Frills).
In 2019, when our book Frugal Innovation was translated and published by Tsinghua University it was also translated as Simple Innovation.
Dr. Chen Jin clarified to me that Simple in Chinese is synonymous with jié jiǎn (节俭) which means… frugal or economical !
By building a simpler AI model, DeepSeek developed frugally an AI chat that is free to use.
DeepSeek relied exclusively on home-grown (indigenous) Chinese talent to develop its frugal AI solution.
As such, DeepSeek is a 自主节俭创新 — both an indigenous and frugal innovation made in China.
While the West is most impressed by DeepSeek’s frugal ability to develop an AI model faster, better, cheaper than Silicon Valley, the West is missing the larger picture: China’s determination to promote INDIGENOUS innovation that is *also* frugal.
