The A.I. Speechwriter: Chinese DeepSeek
Back in July 2023, I posted a 3-part series examining how speechwriters can use generative A.I. tools like ChatGPT. This week the news about a Chinese generative A.I. — DeepSeek R1 — caused stocks in the shares of many American AI companies to slump. Commentators noted that the Chinese A.I. could “do more with less” — challenging the resource-intensive approach in the States. I decided to put it to the test.
My July 2023 posts concluded with a series of political speeches that asked the A.I. to generate a response using Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. I then asked for examples of rhetorical techniques such as similes, metaphors, synechdoche, and metonymy. Finally, generate alternate versions of a now dated 2023 transcript of a speech on Britain’s HS2 rail program (since significantly cut bask in scope) given in the Houses of Parliament. Full details are in the original post.
Here’s what DeepSeek R1 generated — apparently using a fraction of the compute resources of ChatGPT.
PROMPT: Act as a speechwriter. Create an outline for a speech supporting the building of the High Speed Two rail line from London to the north of England using the structure of Monroe’s Motivated Sequence.
Here’s an outline for a speech supporting the construction of the High Speed Two (HS2) rail line, structured using Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. This five-step framework is designed to persuade the audience by addressing their needs and motivating them to take action.
Title: “Connecting Our Future: Why HS2 is Essential for Britain”
1. Attention: Grab the audience’s attention with a compelling opening.
- Start with a vivid statistic or fact:
“Did you know that by 2050, the UK’s population is expected to grow by 10 million people? Our current rail infrastructure, built over a century ago, is already struggling to keep up.” - Paint a picture of the problem:
“Imagine sitting on a delayed train, packed like sardines, knowing you’ll miss an important meeting or your child’s school play. This is the reality for millions of commuters every day.” - Rhetorical question:
“What if I told you there’s a solution that could transform how we travel, boost our economy, and create thousands of jobs?”
2. Need: Establish the problem and why it matters.
- Current infrastructure is outdated:
“Our Victorian-era rail network is simply not fit for the 21st century. Delays, overcrowding, and inefficiencies cost businesses billions annually and frustrate passengers daily.” - Economic disparity between regions:
“The north of England has been left behind for too long. While London thrives, northern cities struggle with underinvestment and lack of connectivity, stifling growth and opportunity.” - Environmental urgency:
“With climate change accelerating, we need sustainable alternatives to cars and planes. HS2 offers a greener way to travel, reducing carbon emissions and congestion on our roads.”
3. Satisfaction: Present HS2 as the solution.
- Faster, more reliable travel:
“HS2 will cut journey times between London and the north by up to 50%, making travel faster, smoother, and more reliable for millions of people.” - Economic benefits:
“This project will create over 30,000 jobs during construction and thousands more in the long term. It will also unlock economic growth in the north, rebalancing our economy and reducing regional inequality.” - Environmental advantages:
“HS2 will take millions of cars off the road and reduce domestic flights, significantly cutting carbon emissions. It’s a critical step toward achieving our net-zero goals.” - Future-proofing:
“HS2 isn’t just about today—it’s about preparing for tomorrow. It will free up capacity on existing rail lines, improving local services and ensuring our infrastructure can handle future growth.”
4. Visualization: Help the audience see the benefits of HS2.
- Positive vision:
“Picture this: a bustling northern city, thriving with new businesses and opportunities, connected to the capital in under 90 minutes. Commuters enjoying spacious, reliable trains, and families reunited faster than ever before.” - Contrast without HS2:
“Without HS2, our rail network will continue to creak under pressure. The north will remain disconnected, and our economy will stagnate. We cannot afford to let this opportunity pass us by.” - Call to emotion:
“This isn’t just about trains—it’s about people. It’s about giving everyone in this country a fair chance to succeed, no matter where they live.”
5. Action: Call the audience to support HS2.
- Direct appeal:
“I urge you to support HS2—not just as a rail project, but as a vision for a better-connected, greener, and more prosperous Britain.” - Specific actions:
“Write to your MP, share the facts about HS2 with your community, and challenge the myths surrounding this project. Let’s show the world that Britain is ready to invest in its future.” - Inspirational closing:
“Together, we can build a legacy that future generations will thank us for. Let’s not look back in 20 years and wonder what could have been. Let’s act now, and let’s act boldly. HS2 is more than a railway—it’s a lifeline for our nation.”
This outline provides a clear, persuasive structure for your speech, using Monroe’s Motivated Sequence to build a compelling case for HS2. Let me know if you’d like me to expand on any section!
PROMPT: Act as a speechwriter. Suggest 3 similes and 3 metaphors to describe to an audience why high speed train travel is enjoyable.
Here are three similes and three metaphors to vividly describe why high-speed train travel is enjoyable. These can be woven into a speech to make the experience more relatable and engaging for your audience.
Similes:
- “Riding a high-speed train is like gliding on air—smooth, effortless, and free from the bumps and jolts of ordinary travel.”
This simile emphasizes the comfort and tranquility of high-speed rail, contrasting it with less pleasant modes of transportation. - “Traveling on a high-speed train is like watching time shrink before your eyes—cities and landscapes blur together as hours turn into minutes.”
This highlights the speed and efficiency of high-speed rail, making long distances feel short. - “Sitting in a high-speed train is like being in a moving living room—spacious, comfortable, and designed for relaxation.”
This simile conveys the convenience and comfort of train travel, making it feel like a home away from home.
Metaphors:
- “A high-speed train is a ribbon of steel, weaving through the countryside and stitching cities together.”
This metaphor paints a poetic image of connectivity and unity, showing how trains bring people and places closer. - “The high-speed train is a time machine, collapsing distances and giving you back the most precious resource—time.”
This metaphor emphasizes the efficiency of high-speed rail, framing it as a tool that saves time and enhances productivity. - “The train is a symphony of motion, where every component works in harmony to create a seamless journey.”
This metaphor evokes the elegance and precision of high-speed rail, comparing it to a beautifully orchestrated piece of music.
These similes and metaphors can help your audience visualize and emotionally connect with the joys of high-speed train travel, making your speech more memorable and impactful. Let me know if you’d like help integrating these into a larger speech!
PROMPT: Act as a speechwriter. Use synechdoche and metonymy to surprise an audience with reasons why high speed trains are a good idea.
Here’s a speech that uses synecdoche (using a part to represent the whole) and metonymy (using a related term to represent something else) to creatively and persuasively argue why high-speed trains are a good idea. These rhetorical devices will surprise the audience by offering fresh perspectives on the benefits of high-speed rail.
Title: “The Tracks to Tomorrow: Why High-Speed Trains Are the Future”
Opening:
“Ladies and gentlemen, imagine a world where the wheels of progress never stop turning. Where the heartbeat of a nation pulses along steel veins, connecting cities, dreams, and opportunities. This is the promise of high-speed trains—not just a mode of transport, but a lifeline to a brighter future.”
Synecdoche: Using a part to represent the whole.
- “Every seat on a high-speed train is a desk, a dining table, and a meeting room.”
Here, the “seat” represents the entire experience of traveling on a high-speed train. It’s not just a place to sit—it’s a space where work gets done, meals are enjoyed, and connections are made. High-speed trains transform travel time into productive time. - “The whistle of a high-speed train is the sound of opportunity calling.”
The “whistle” represents the train itself and, by extension, the economic and social opportunities it brings. It’s a call to action, signaling progress and growth for communities along its route. - “Every ticket sold is a vote for a greener planet.”
The “ticket” represents the passenger and their choice to support sustainable travel. High-speed trains reduce carbon emissions, and every journey taken is a step toward a more sustainable future.
Metonymy: Using a related term to represent something else.
- “The rails are the arteries of a thriving economy.”
Here, “rails” represent the entire rail network, which keeps the economy moving and alive. High-speed trains ensure that goods, people, and ideas flow freely, fueling growth and innovation. - “The timetable is a promise—a guarantee that the future will be on time.”
The “timetable” represents the reliability and efficiency of high-speed trains. It’s a symbol of trust and precision, showing that high-speed rail delivers on its commitments. - “The station is a gateway—not just to new places, but to new possibilities.”
The “station” represents the entire journey and the opportunities it unlocks. High-speed trains don’t just take you from point A to point B; they open doors to education, employment, and cultural exchange.
Closing:
“High-speed trains are more than just engines and carriages. They are the wheels of change, the tracks of progress, and the bridges to a better tomorrow. So let’s not just build trains—let’s build connections. Let’s build opportunities. Let’s build the future. Thank you.”
This speech uses synecdoche and metonymy to reframe high-speed trains as symbols of progress, sustainability, and opportunity. By focusing on specific parts or related concepts, it surprises the audience with fresh, imaginative reasons to support high-speed rail. Let me know if you’d like to expand on any section!
PROMPT: Act as a speechwriter. Revise this speech to be written at an 8th grade level
Here’s a revised version of the speech, written at an 8th-grade reading level for clarity and simplicity:
Speech by Gareth Davies, MP for Grantham and Bournemouth
Thank you to the hon. Lady for her comments. She’s right—HS2 will boost productivity, create jobs, and improve connections across the country. We need to keep sharing these benefits with everyone. But we also have to be realistic. We must balance the need for high-speed rail with managing our budget, especially as we face challenges like rising costs due to the war in Ukraine and supply chain issues from COVID-19. These are tough times, and we’re making the hard decisions needed to keep our finances stable while still investing in important projects like HS2.
The hon. Lady mentioned the National Audit Office report. We’re looking at it carefully and will respond soon. But the key point is this: HS2 is important, and we’re committed to it. We’ve had to make some tough choices to make sure we’re building strong transport links while also being responsible with public money. That’s what the British people expect from us.
We’re also working to improve rail connections across the country, especially in areas that lost service back in the 1960s with the Beeching cuts. It’s not just about building new lines—it’s about making the existing ones better too.
Now, let me address some specific points raised today. The hon. Member for Bath talked about the M4 connection to Dorset. I want her to know that the Department for Transport has asked National Highways to study this route, and we’re carefully considering their findings. We’ll have more to say on this soon.
The hon. Member for Bath and my colleague from Wimbledon also brought up rail electrification. We’re working hard on this as part of our plan to create a net zero railway by 2050. Since 2010, we’ve electrified over 1,200 miles of track, with 1,000 of those miles done in just the last five years. That’s a big improvement compared to the 70 miles electrified between 1997 and 2010. We’re making progress, but there’s still more to do.
The right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland shared some great insights about the challenges his community faces. I’ll look into the issue he raised about funding and get back to him.
Finally, my colleague from Wimbledon made an important point: the government can’t pay for everything. We need private investment to help fund our infrastructure projects. In fact, nearly half of the UK’s future infrastructure projects will be paid for with private money. Over the next ten years, we expect total investment in infrastructure—both public and private—to reach nearly £650 billion. That’s how we’ll build a stronger future for everyone.
Thank you.
This version simplifies complex ideas, shortens sentences, and uses more straightforward language while keeping the original meaning intact.
PROMPT: Act as a teacher. Revise the following text so that it can understood by 8 year old children. [Insert 8th grade text above]
Here’s the revised version of the text, simplified so that it can be understood by 8-year-old children:
Thank you to the lady for her ideas. She’s right—HS2, the new high-speed train, will help people work better, create new jobs, and make it easier to travel across the country. We need to tell everyone about these good things. But we also have to be careful with our money. Right now, things are tough because of the war in Ukraine and problems caused by COVID-19, like higher costs and fewer supplies. We’re making hard choices to make sure we have enough money for important projects like HS2 while still being careful with how we spend.
The lady also talked about a report from the National Audit Office. We’re reading it carefully and will say more about it soon. But the most important thing is this: HS2 is really important, and we’re going to keep working on it. We’ve had to make some tough decisions to build better train lines while also being smart with the money we have. That’s what people expect from us.
We’re also working to make train travel better in places that lost their train service a long time ago, back in the 1960s. It’s not just about building new train tracks—it’s also about fixing and improving the ones we already have.
Now, let me talk about some other things people brought up today. The lady from Bath talked about a road called the M4 and how it connects to Dorset. I want her to know that we’ve asked a group called National Highways to study this road, and we’re thinking about what they found. We’ll share more about this soon.
The lady from Bath and my friend from Wimbledon also talked about making trains run on electricity instead of diesel. We’re working on this as part of our plan to make trains better for the environment by 2050. Since 2010, we’ve added electric power to over 1,200 miles of train tracks, and 1,000 of those miles were done in just the last five years. That’s a lot better than the 70 miles we did between 1997 and 2010. We’re doing a good job, but there’s still more work to do.
The man from Orkney and Shetland talked about some problems his community is facing. I’ll look into the issue he mentioned about money and get back to him.
Finally, my friend from Wimbledon made a good point: the government can’t pay for everything. We need help from businesses and other groups to pay for big projects like new roads and train lines. In fact, almost half of the money for future projects will come from private companies. Over the next ten years, we think the total money spent on these projects will be nearly £650 billion. That’s how we’ll make things better for everyone.
This version uses simple words, short sentences, and avoids complicated ideas to make it easier for 8-year-olds to understand.
Conclusion
It might be unfair to compare the output of ChatGPT from 2023 to DeepSeek of 2025. However, if claims about the efficiency are in fact true it represents, as some have noted, a “Sputnik moment” for the American technology industry.
As for speechwriters, I stand by my concluding words from 2023:
This three-part series has, I hope, shown ways in which speechwriters can use generative A.I. tools like ChatGPT. The number of tools is expanding rapidly. No doubt some public speeches — be they at a wedding, in the conference center, or on the hustings — will use material simply cut and paste from GPT output. This is not a clever way to proceed. The language can be silted, repetitive, filled with factual errors, and unconvincing.
However, in the hands of a professional, research tasks, speech outlines, alternative points of view, and more are available for review.
I believe these tools will enrich and make life easier and more productive for professional speechwriters and concerns about their use are misplaced.