DeepSeek, an AI company, reportedly tells prospective backers in its second funding round that it is pausing the deal for now, according to people familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg. The pause comes days after comments widely attributed to DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng about U.S.-China AI competition circulated online. Fortune reports that the suspension is linked, in part, to Liang’s frustration with online reporting about his remarks to investors during an earlier financing round. Together, the reports indicate the company’s fundraising activity is being paused while it reassesses engagement with potential investors amid renewed attention on the founder’s statements. The accounts do not provide additional details on how long the pause lasts, whether funds will be restructured, or what specific next steps DeepSeek plans to take. The information is presented as coming from individuals familiar with the situation rather than from a public statement by the company in the cited coverage.