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Microsoft compromises?
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Hello and welcome to the Automated, your AI tour guide.
As mentioned yesterday, any standout product that’s not American or European trying to break into the U.S. and beyond is bound to face its share of drama—and DeepSeek is no exception.
First, it was the investigations and accusations, and now they’re grappling with significant challenges in securing their trademark.
But here’s the thing: when it comes to efficiency and reliability, the U.S. knows how to spot real value. That’s why, despite all the drama, companies like Perplexity and Microsoft are now embracing DeepSeek’s R1 model.
Here’s what we have for you today:
🤝 Microsoft Embraces DeepSeek's Controversial AI Model.
👨⚖️ DeepSeek Faces Uphill Battle Over U.S. Trademark.
🥇 The essential skills that will define success in the AI era (and they're not what you think).
💼 7 critical thinking skills you need in an AI powered workplace.
🤖 ChatGPT Prompt Of The Day: Act as a Journal Reviewer.
🤝 Microsoft Embraces DeepSeek's Controversial AI Model.

Microsoft just added DeepSeek’s AI model, R1, to its Azure AI Foundry, despite swirling accusations that DeepSeek might have borrowed (okay, maybe straight-up stolen) data from OpenAI.
And here’s the kicker: Microsoft, OpenAI’s biggest investor, was the one who flagged DeepSeek’s suspicious activity in the first place. Awkward, right?
Here’s the backstory:
According to Microsoft, OpenAI, and David Sacks, DeepSeek allegedly used OpenAI’s API in 2024 to extract massive amounts of data—something OpenAI’s rules explicitly forbids.
You’re allowed to use their AI, sure, but training your own competing model with that data? That’s a definite no-go.
If DeepSeek really did pull off this next-level AI distillation trickery they’re accused of, there could be some serious legal fallout ahead.
But despite all the drama, Microsoft is still rolling out the red carpet for R1. Why?
Probably because it’s creating major buzz, and let’s be honest—Microsoft loves having the hottest models (AI models, of course) on its clouds.
That said, R1 isn’t flawless. It struggles with accuracy, dodges news-related questions 83% of the time, and refuses to answer 85% of queries about China—likely due to censorship.
Aside from the fact that R1 has been rigorously tested for safety and security, Microsoft hasn’t confirmed if they’re tweaking it to fix these censorship issues.
But one thing’s clear: when it comes to AI, and the greater good, Microsoft doesn’t mind a little compromise.
Oh, and a smaller, distilled version of R1 is coming soon to Copilot+ PCs, with a good chance it’ll pop up in other Microsoft AI services.
So yeah, safe to say—Microsoft is all in on R1.
Want the full story? Read it here.
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👨⚖️ DeepSeek Faces Uphill Battle Over U.S. Trademark.

Chinese AI company DeepSeek has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons—IP theft accusations, privacy investigations in Europe, and even a massive cyberattack.
Now, it faces another challenge in the U.S.: a trademark battle that it may have already lost before it even began.
DeepSeek recently filed for a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its AI tools.
But there’s a twist—another company beat them to it by just 36 hours.
Enter Delson Group Inc., a Delaware-based firm that claims to have been selling “DeepSeek”-branded AI products since 2020.
Delson Group’s CEO, Willie Lu, is a self-proclaimed “semi-retired” Stanford professor and FCC advisor with a history in the wireless industry.
Oddly enough, he and DeepSeek’s founder, Liang Wenfeng, both graduated from Zhejiang University.
Coincidence? Maybe. But Lu’s “DeepSeek” brand isn’t just a name—it’s also tied to an educational AI course in Las Vegas, where tickets start at $800.
Lu’s name also pops up in multiple trademark disputes, with records showing Delson Group has filed (and sometimes abandoned) trademarks for brands linked to major Chinese companies like Geely and China Mobile.
This pattern raises eyebrows, hinting at possible trademark squatting—where someone registers a trademark to either sell it later or capitalize on a company’s brand recognition.
DeepSeek is now in a tough spot.
U.S. law favors the first commercial user of a trademark, and Delson Group has the advantage.
Trademark attorney Josh Gerben explains that Delson’s early filing, 2020 usage claim, and existing AI-related activities give it a strong case.
In fact, Delson could even sue DeepSeek for trademark infringement or claim "reverse confusion" due to DeepSeek’s recent rise to fame.
If DeepSeek hopes to operate under its name in the U.S., its best bet might be negotiating a coexistence agreement—assuming Delson is willing to play ball.
But given the history of similar battles, this could turn into a drawn-out legal fight.
This wouldn’t be the first time an AI company has hit a trademark roadblock.
OpenAI failed to trademark "GPT" last year because the USPTO deemed it too generic.
And for months, OpenAI has been battling technologist Guy Ravine over rights to the name “Open AI,” which he claims he originally pitched as an open-source AI project back in 2015—the same year OpenAI was founded.
With Delson Group holding the upper hand, the road ahead could be filled with legal battles and tough negotiations.
Will DeepSeek find a way to secure its name in the U.S., or is a costly rebrand inevitable?
Check out the full post for all the details on DeepSeek’s latest headache and what it means for the AI industry.
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🧱Around The AI Block
🥇 The Essential Skills That Will Define Success In The AI Era (And They're Not What You Think).
💼 7 critical thinking skills you need in an AI powered workplace.
▶️ DeepSeek reaches No. 1 on US Play Store.
🗽 Anthropic’s CEO says DeepSeek shows US export rules are working.
🤖 Perplexity AI Deploys Chinese DeepSeek AI Model.
📱 ChatGPT’s mobile users turn out to be 85% male, report says.
💰 SoftBank to invest $500M in robotics startup Skild AI.
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🤖ChatGPT Prompt Of The Day: Act as a Journal Reviewer.
Ensuring high-quality research gets published requires a keen eye for detail and rigorous evaluation. This prompt turns ChatGPT into a journal reviewer, helping you critically assess articles, analyze methodologies, and provide constructive feedback to strengthen scholarly work.
Here's a prompt that can help you with that.
I want you to act as a journal reviewer. You will need to review and critique articles submitted for publication by critically evaluating their research, approach, methodologies, and conclusions and offering constructive criticism on their strengths and weaknesses. My first suggestion request is, "I need help reviewing a scientific paper entitled "Renewable Energy Sources as Pathways for Climate Change Mitigation"
We've Compiled a List of Over 100 ChatGPT Power Prompts.
This should help streamline your interactions with ChatGPT and get the results you need more efficiently.
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