Ten days after Chinese startup DeepSeek shocked the AI world with its ultra-efficient R1 model, OpenAI has countered with o3-mini – a faster, cheaper version of its most powerful LLM.

Translation: the AI arms race just entered a new era, and yes, it’ll impact PMMs and compete pros. 

Let’s break it down 👇

Unraveling the DeepSeek Timeline

• January 20: DeepSeek launches R1, delivering performance on par with OpenAI’s leading models but at a fraction of the training and usage costs.
  
  
• January 27: DeepSeek surpasses ChatGPT on the App Store, wiping billions from U.S. tech stocks. Nvidia plunges 17% as investors question the need for expensive chips.
  
  

• January 29: OpenAI accuses DeepSeek of using its proprietary models to train theirs. 

• January 29: Anthropic’s CEO pens an essay with language eerily reminiscent of 1950s Cold War rhetoric: “AI companies in democracies must have better models than those in China if we want to prevail.“
  
  
• January 31: OpenAI releases o3-mini, bringing advanced capabilities to all ChatGPT users, plus a cheaper API fee. 

Who Really Wins Here?

While DeepSeek, OpenAI, and others battle over AI efficiency – and Wall Street reels – let’s ask: who comes out ahead in all this?

Among tech giants, Apple stands out. Here’s why:

• As DeepSeek forces down the cost of AI, Apple can license or develop competitive models without the massive infrastructure investments their competitors have made. 
  
  
• Success in consumer AI won’t come from raw model performance – it’ll come from creating amazing user experiences. That’s Apple’s bread and butter, which might explain why its stock rose last week while other tech companies stumbled.

And that’s not just true for giants like Apple. Lean startups building sophisticated AI products at a fraction of previous costs are also clear-cut winners here. 

Why Should You Care?

If you’re a product marketer in tech, this cuts both ways:

The good news? As big tech races to the bottom on API pricing, your AI features and products should become a lot cheaper to build and maintain.

The bad news? Your competitors get the same deal. Expect competition in every niche to intensify and standing out to get even more difficult. 

Time to dial in on differentiation 😉

📌 Go Deeper: Catch Adam and Hunter’s full take on the DeepSeek drama in last week’s Coffee & Compete podcast.  

Spreadsheets, software, PDFs, slide decks, and 12 open tabs — it’s a recipe for headaches and hold-ups.

Luckily, Klue lets you work smarter, not harder.

Get high-quality competitive insights in a fraction of the time, without all the clutter 👇

Last week on Coffee & Compete, Alexis Yeh, Manager of Program Management Associates at Klue, dropped some serious knowledge about the most asked question in win-loss:

How do you actually get buyers to agree to interviews?

After four years of running win-loss programs, here’s what works for her:

Start With Your Strategy

Before sending a single outreach email, nail down these program fundamentals:

• Define Your Research Objectives: Learning objectives are the specific insights you want to uncover with your win-loss program. Start with this simple framework to identify them: “If I knew X, then I could do Y, which would result in Z.” (👉 check out this blog for more info).  
  
  
• Target the Right Deals: Focus on late-stage opportunities where buyers went deep into your sales process, competitive deals where you went head-to-head with key rivals, and deals that closed approx. 90 days ago (when details are fresh but emotions have settled).
  
  
• Focus on the Right People: Cross-functional collaboration is key to finding the best interview candidates. Work with Product to flag feature-driven decisions, Marketing to surface messaging issues, and Sales to identify key decision-makers. 

Get Sales Buy-In (Without the Friction)

The key to consistent pipeline? Your sales team. Here’s how Alex recommends you get them onboard:

• Host Enablement Sessions: Launch your program with dedicated training sessions where sales can ask questions and understand the value directly.
  
  
• Share Early Win-Loss Reports: Distribute initial findings to demonstrate the concrete competitive intel and deal insights they’ll receive.
  
  
• Add a CRM Nomination Field: Include a “Nominate for Win-Loss Interview” checkbox when deals close. According to Yeh, this simple addition “makes life easier because you’ll already have sales buy-in on particular opportunities.”

Lifting the Veil on Acceptance Rates

One of the most interesting takeaways from the podcast? Alexis lifted the veil on what acceptance rates you should actually expect from your outreach efforts:

• 60% for wins
• 30% for losses
• 25% for churns

If you’re not hitting the above rates, focus on improving your outreach: test different email subject lines, refine your interview request script, and consider offering stronger incentives. 

📌 Go Deeper: Listen to Alexis’s full interview on the Coffee & Compete podcast below 👇

Want to know how others are running win-loss in their business? The strategic initiatives that they’re supporting? And the ways that they are integrating AI into their win-loss work?

Well, then you’re in luck.

We’re conducting the most comprehensive win-loss analysis study to date, but in order to deliver that to you… we need your expertise.

Share your insights by taking our survey below (it will only take five minutes!) and we’ll be sharing back the results with you in March 👇

Coffee & Compete Pod | How to Source Win-Loss Interviews w/ Alexis Yeh

The crew tackles one of the most challenging aspects of Win-Loss analysis – sourcing interviews – with Klue’s Win-Loss expert Alexis Yeh. 

Coffee & Compete | Deepseek vs. ChatGPT

The AI world blew up when DeepSeek dropped… but the story is still unfolding around us. Listen to Adam and Hunter weigh in on the drama. 

The Marchitect | How to Craft a Sales Pitch That Wins in Competitive Markets w/ April Dunford

Positioning expert and author April Dunford shares how to bridge the gap between product marketing and sales teams. She also reveals practical strategies to turn your positioning into compelling sales narratives.

CI Masterclass | The Myths and Reality Behind Competitive Insights and Al

UPCOMING WORKSHOP: Don’t let AI hype scare you—this workshop will tech you how to blend human insight, AI, and CI platforms to dominate your market.

UPCOMING: Power (Half) Hour | How to Build a Deal-Winning Battlecard with Josh Gladstone

Register for our next Power (Half) Hour on Wednesday, February 7, at 12:30 PM EST, where Josh Gladstone will share his proven framework for creating battlecards that actually help your sales team win deals.