Key tech stocks were a mixed bag in early trading Thursday after executives at Meta and Microsoft said they plan to keep pouring billions of dollars into AI – despite lingering anxiety over the launch of China-based DeepSeek’s AI model.

Chinese startup DeepSeek claims to offer competitive AI models at lower costs, raising doubts about U.S. tech giants' investments in AI. Microsoft and Meta defend their significant spending, highlighting its importance for long-term strategic advantage amidst increasing demand for AI solutions.