Deepseek Code: China Takes on OpenAI and Anthropic

Deepseek Code: China Takes on OpenAI and Anthropic

Deepseek, a Chinese company specializing in artificial intelligence, is preparing to enter the code agent arena with an ambitious project named "Deepseek Code." This project aims to compete with established solutions such as Claude Code from Anthropic and Codex from OpenAI.

To carry out this initiative, Deepseek has formed a new team called "Harness" in Beijing. This team is tasked with developing a code agent from scratch, incorporating advanced features such as tool usage, planning, and memory. The central idea is that the combination of an AI model with these elements, or "harness," leads to the creation of a comprehensive AI agent.

Recruitment and Expertise

Deepseek is currently in the midst of a recruitment phase to strengthen its "Harness" team. The company is specifically looking for a product manager and a developer. These positions require a strong familiarity with tools like Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, or GitHub Copilot. Candidates will need to work closely with the research team on models.

The product manager will be responsible for defining the project's roadmap, analyzing user feedback, and developing a community around "Deepseek Code." Required skills include expertise in agent loops, multi-agent systems, contextual engineering, as well as experience in "vibe coding" and MCP. Deli Chen from Deepseek has posted the job openings on X, highlighting the importance of these skills for the project.

A Strategic Positioning

By developing "Deepseek Code," the company positions itself at the intersection of research and product development. This project places Deepseek in direct competition with major players in the industry like Anthropic and OpenAI. The initiative reflects Deepseek's ambition to establish itself on the international stage of artificial intelligence technologies.