Can DeepSeek challenge OpenAI, Anthropic in AI agents as Harness adoption takes off?

DeepSeek's Harness artificial intelligence agent framework has achieved a remarkable milestone, amassing 1.54 million daily active users just three months after its launch, according to the Chinese AI company. Operating through the company's API, these users are processing a staggering 92 trillion tokens daily, averaging 1.1 billion tokens per second.

Harness serves as the software infrastructure that transforms large language models into autonomous AI agents capable of independently executing tasks, a capability previously dominated by US tech giants OpenAI and Anthropic. DeepSeek entered the fray on August 13, followed by a desktop application on September 29, enabling developers to create AI agents capable of executing code and interfacing with external software.

Currently, the platform boasts around 35,000 third-party plug-ins, with roughly 60% of active users having either created or installed at least one. DeepSeek's Cui Tianyi, a former engineer at Jane Street, envisions Harness as an operating system for the AI agent era, comparable to a smartphone OS providing essential tools and allowing third-party integrations.

The company has plans to launch a marketplace where developers can distribute plug-ins and users can discover them, offering token grants and technical support to encourage participation. DeepSeek is increasingly focusing on monetizing its foundation models, recently establishing a product division led by Cui.