On 7 February 2025, the Computing Services Centre (CSC), in collaboration with the Talent Development Office (TED), successfully deployed an on-premises version of DeepSeek R1 on campus. This tool is available to all students and staff through the CityUHK Chatbot, which can be accessed via the CityUHK Mobile App or in the “IT and Library Services” section of the CityUHK Portal.

DeepSeek R1 is a high-profile AI model developed by DeepSeek, a leading Chinese AI startup. It delivers performance comparable to its global counterparts at a fraction of the operating cost. The model excels in coding and math, outperforming its rivals in almost every benchmark. Licensed under the MIT open-source license, DeepSeek R1 is freely available for both commercial and academic use, making it not only a powerful tool but also an accessible and cost-effective solution for various applications.

By hosting DeepSeek R1 on campus, CityUHK maintains full control and protection over its data and infrastructure. To ensure fair access for all users, a monthly usage quota has been implemented per individual.

If your department is interested in exploring how DeepSeek R1 can enhance your workflows, operations and productivity, please reach out to the CSC. Our team will provide advice and support to help you maximise the potential of the tool.

Should you have any queries, please contact the IT Service Desk at 3442 8340 (staff) / 3442 6488 (students), or via email to IT.ServiceDesk@cityu.edu.hk