Investing.com - The popularity of China’s DeepSeek AI model has called US tech-stock "exceptionalism", and by extension the US dollar, into question, but Bank of America Securities says it’s too early for dollar bulls to fret.
Late in January, Chinese start-up DeepSeek said its free AI model could match the performance of OpenAI’s ChatGPT despite operating on less-advanced chips and costing around just $6 million to build.
This raised questions about the necessity of heavy AI spending plans being pursued by some of Silicon Valley’s biggest players, as well as a prevailing belief among some investors that "bigger spending means better results."
“The DeepSeek story is important but should not have a prolonged negative impact on the dollar or the ‘US exceptionalism’ narrative, and in some ways could enhance it,” said analysts at BOA Securities, in a note dated Feb. 11.
“Other pillars of US exceptionalism remain largely intact, for now, including reserve currency status, tech supremacy, relative US growth, real interest rate outlook and the dollar’s critical role in stable coin infrastructure.”
That said, BOA Securities still expressed caution, with warning signs mounting.
“US exceptionalism is not ordained, and longer-term risks remain: unsustainable US fiscal trajectory, longer-term USD asset demand due to escalating trade wars, the negative impact that prolonged USD strength has on US corporate earnings, and persistent upside inflation risks which pose difficult trade-offs for the Fed,” BOA added.