DeepSeek Overtakes ChatGPT as Top iPhone App in China and U.S.
New AI app DeepSeek surpasses ChatGPT to claim the top spot on the iPhone free app charts in both China and the United States.
DeepSeek, a mobile AI application developed in the Chinese mainland, has soared past OpenAI’s ChatGPT to become the number one free app on the iPhone charts in both China and the U.S. This achievement comes shortly after the company launched its innovative “reasoning model,” DeepSeek R1.
When users activate the “DeepThink (R1)” mode, the app showcases its “thinking process” before delivering responses. This feature allows it to handle complex logical and mathematical problems effectively. According to DeepSeek’s official website, the R1 model’s performance rivals that of OpenAI-O1, while operating at approximately one-thirtieth of the cost.
The DeepSeek app and its web-based chatbot are currently free for general users, with fees applied only for API calls used by programmers. Remarkably, DeepSeek has made its full-size model available for free download, enabling users with adequate hardware to run it locally. For those with less powerful devices, scaled-down versions optimized for various systems—from ultra-thin laptops to high-performance gaming rigs—are also offered.
In addition to providing free access to its models, DeepSeek has published a research paper detailing the development of R1. This openness allows other developers to replicate the process using their own training data, fostering a collaborative environment in the AI community.
AI Community Reacts
The release of the R1 model has generated significant buzz in the AI industry, eliciting impressed reactions from leading figures.
Marc Andreessen, venture capitalist and co-founder of Netscape, described DeepSeek R1 on X.com as “one of the most amazing and impressive breakthroughs” he has ever seen, calling it “a profound gift to the world.”
Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity, noted that “DeepSeek has largely replicated OpenAI-O1-mini and has open-sourced it.”
Jim Fan, a senior research manager at Nvidia, praised DeepSeek as a company that is upholding the original mission of conducting “truly open, frontier research that empowers all.”
Yann LeCun, Meta’s chief AI scientist, emphasized that DeepSeek’s success highlights how “open-source models are surpassing proprietary ones.”
Kai-Fu Lee, former president of Google China, expressed a sense of vindication, saying that the DeepSeek releases validate his belief in the potential of developers in the Chinese mainland to excel in generative AI engineering.
Championing Innovation in the Chinese Mainland
In a July 2024 interview with 36kr.com, DeepSeek CEO Liang Wenfeng argued that the Chinese mainland must move beyond the stereotype of merely applying external innovations. As the country’s economy grows, he believes it should transition into a global contributor to innovation rather than relying on advancements from elsewhere.
Liang emphasized that innovation stems not only from the pursuit of business success but also from genuine curiosity. He revealed that the DeepSeek team is composed of young talent and that the development of the company’s earlier V2 model did not involve any overseas Chinese contributors.
“Perhaps the top 50 talents in this field are not in the Chinese mainland,” Liang told 36kr.com. “But we can cultivate our own.”
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
