Wang Yongqing, the lead designer at the Shenyang Aircraft Design Institute, told state-owned Chinanews.com as quoted by South China Morning Post that his team had started using the technology to develop new technology for warplanes.

They had also conducted in-depth research on the potential uses of large language models – the technology behind AI models such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek – in analysing and resolving complicated problems based on practical needs, he added.

“The technology has already shown promising potential for application, providing new ideas and approaches for future aerospace research and development,” he said.

The institute for which 60-year-old Wang works is reportedly a subsidiary of state-run Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

Wang said AI is also helping to free researchers from tedious review tasks so that they could focus on more critical work.

“This is an important step … and points to the future direction of aerospace research,” Wang said.

What is DeepSeek?

DeepSeek is a Chinese artificial intelligence company which is based in Hangzhou.

Its AI-powered Chatbot has emerged as one of the most downloaded free app on Apple since its release in the USA this month.