DeepSeek V4 Teased for Mid-February 2026 Release
Narrative
Next-generation flagship V4 with strong coding focus. Internal tests suggest outperformance vs. Claude/GPT series on coding tasks, breakthroughs in long-context coding prompts (>1M tokens via Engram memory architecture). Targets software engineering dominance.
Reality
Reported January 9, 2026 (citing insiders). Expected mid-February 2026 (around Lunar New Year Feb 17). Builds on R1 transparency and V3.2 agent gains; incorporates new memory tech for efficient retrieval. No official release yet; community anticipation high for coding/complex-project leadership.
Implication
Signals DeepSeek's pivot to specialized coding frontier after reasoning wins. Could further erode Western moats on developer tools. Engram architecture promises cost/efficiency gains. If benchmarks hold, reinforces paradigm of rapid, low-cost iteration challenging massive-scale labs.