Using DeepSeek for work—Tips and risks

Should you be using DeepSeek for work? 

The artificial intelligence landscape is growing more crowded by the day, with tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini dominating headlines. Recently, a new open source tool emerged from seemingly nowhere and made a big splash outperforming the big names, while doing so at a fraction of the cost—DeepSeek. 

Its performance was so impressive that it sent the stocks of other AI-related companies tumbling. At least, for a couple of days, until everyone calmed down. 

Still, upon release DeepSeek fared better on certain metrics than OpenAI’s industry-leading model, leading many to wonder why pay $20-200/mo for ChatGPT, when you can get very similar results for free with DeepSeek?

Let’s take a look at DeepSeek, should you choose it over other available tools, and what are some tips for using DeepSeek for work. 

A caveat: Why you should be cautious with DeepSeek

As one of the first competitive LLMs to come out of China, DeepSeek’s arrival hasn’t been without controversy. Experts were quick to warn of the dangers of sharing sensitive data with the tool, as you don’t know where the data ends up. Indeed, research from South Korea suggests DeepSeek is sharing user data with ByteDance and “domains linked to Chinese state-owned entities”. 

That being said, sharing sensitive data with any AI platform is a dangerous idea and should be avoided at all costs, as the information is stored and there are concerns it could be later retrieved by malicious actors. 

DeepSeek has also received criticism for censorship, namely, refusing to answer questions on topics unflattering to China’s ruling party and sometimes even painting a different version of history. This is definitely cause for concern and undermines the tool’s trustworthiness. 

However, once again, it’s something AI users should be encouraged to approach critically with any tool. For instance, Elon Musk’s allegedly “maximally truth-seeking AI” Grok 3 was instructed to censor unflattering facts about Trump and Musk. Once this became public, the company changed this and blamed the whole fiasco on a rogue employee. 

Whatever the case, exercise caution with any generative AI as the answers you receive can be manipulated in unseen ways in favor of whoever’s pulling the strings. 

What is DeepSeek? 

DeepSeek is a large language model designed with a focus on chain-of-reasoning capabilities. Its interface mirrors popular AI tools like ChatGPT—you write prompts, it responds with answers—making it immediately accessible to anyone familiar with conversational AI.

What sets DeepSeek apart is how it approaches problem-solving. While many AI models jump straight to conclusions, DeepSeek methodically walks through problems step by step, showing its work along the way. This transparency is invaluable when the reasoning behind an answer matters as much as the answer itself.

Here’s DeepSeek trying to figure out how to respond when asked to “Suggest five team-building activities for hybrid teams—budget under $500”: 

That said, leading models such as ChatGPT-4o and Claude 3.7 Sonnet now also offer chain-of-reasoning capabilities. 

DeepSeek also offers a built-in “search the web” feature, allowing it to access current information beyond its training data—a functionality not all competitors include natively.

You can access and use DeepSeek for work free of charge in your browser or by downloading their app. 

DeepSeek vs other AI models: Choose what works for you

Is DeepSeek’s latest model better than the alternatives? 

It feels like every week a new model emerges, outperforming competition by the tiniest of slivers. This makes it difficult to talk about benchmarks and compare models in ways that matter for the casual user. 

If you’re looking for a somewhat relatable ranking of current models, check out Chatbot Arena. It’s a project that pits LLMs against each other in a blind test—ask two models the same question and vote on the best answer. Here are the current rankings and DeepSeek’s R1 is currently in the top 5. 

On a personal note, having tried most of the popular AI tools, I’ve noticed that some simply understand and resonate with me better than others, and my choice of tool is ultimately informed by some ineffable quality that informs personal preference. 

So, if you’re wondering, “Should I abandon my current tool of choice and use DeepSeek for work?” simply try it out and see if it “clicks.” 

5 ideas for using DeepSeek for work

How to use AI at work really depends on the field you’re in. Cybersecurity experts have been using AI long before ChatGPT broke through, while creative professionals might be just beginning to explore these tools.

So here are 5 ideas for using DeepSeek for work that will be relevant to virtually every office worker, whether you’re a tenured cybersecurity professional or a data entry intern fresh out of college.

1. Research

Research takes hours and sifting for relevant material often leads down the wrong path, resulting in wasted time and frustration. Putting it all together afterward can also be a tedious and lengthy process. Make use of DeepSeek for directed search and effective knowledge synthesis.

• Example 1: “Compare IoT security solutions for mid-sized retailers. Include pricing and scalability.”
• Example 2: “What’s the latest HR trend in Germany? Summarize three sources from 2024.”

Warning: Cross-check facts. DeepSeek might miss recent breakthroughs, and hallucinations happen.

2. Ideation and brainstorming

Overcome creative blocks by acting, rather than staring blankly at the flashing text cursor. Or get help thinking outside the box. Or conjure up a baseline of ideas to kickstart brainstorms more productively. 

• Example 1: “Suggest five team-building activities for hybrid teams—budget under $500.”
• Example 2: “We’re struggling with low email open rates. Propose three A/B test ideas.”

Pro tip: Avoid generic results by introducing additional constraints: “Make option 2 more eco-friendly” or “Target GenZ remote workers.”

3. Writing assistance

Every part of writing—ideating, typing, editing, reviewing, polishing—is time consuming. In most professional settings, getting the message out and across is the top priority and using DeepSeek for work can help you every step of the way—though it shouldn’t replace all of them. 

• Example 1: “Turn these bullet points into a client proposal. Tone: confident but not salesy.”
• Example 2: “Proofread this email. Flag jargon and suggest simpler phrasing.”

Warning: Never let AI write for you. Use it to articulate your ideas faster.

4. Translation

Machine translations often sound robotic and fail to capture nuance. Move beyond Google Translate with AI-assisted contextual translations that help you understand and communicate on a deeper level. 

• Example 1: “Translate this onboarding guide into Spanish for Mexican employees. Use informal tone.”
• Example 2: “Localize this marketing slogan for Japan. Avoid cultural faux pas.”

Pro tip: Always have a native speaker review outputs. AI still misses slang and regional subtleties, and is prone to mistakes when working with languages other than English. 

5. Information processing

Make use of AI’s incredible speed and capacity to crunch lengthy documents and big data in moments. Summarize, extract, and analyze information from virtually anything.

• Example 1: Dump a slide deck into DeepSeek with “List key takeaways for a 2-minute exec summary.”
• Example 2: Upload a PDF of industry regulations and ask, “What compliance risks apply to our SaaS product?”

Pro tip: Use follow-up prompts to drill deeper: “Explain point 3 in simpler terms” or “How does this affect our Q3 goals?”

AI can be a powerful productivity ally, if you use it right

AI use is going up across offices worldwide. The productivity gains it bestows are too good to pass up on, and it appears that eventually those using it will outperform those not. DeepSeek, with its reasoning capabilities, represents one more option in your AI toolkit.

Of course, you need to remain cautious when it comes to what tool you use and how—don’t ask them to analyze sensitive data, nor trust their responses blindly.