DeepSeek, a mobile AI application developed by a Chinese team, has soared past OpenAI's ChatGPT to claim the top spot on the iPhone free app charts in both China and the United States. This significant achievement comes just days after the launch of its advanced \"reasoning model,\" DeepSeek R1.
Revolutionizing AI with DeepSeek R1
When users activate the \"DeepThink (R1)\" mode, the app unveils its \"thinking process\" before generating responses. This feature enables DeepSeek to tackle complex logical and mathematical problems with enhanced accuracy. According to the company's official website, the R1 model's performance is \"on par with\" OpenAI-o1, yet operates at approximately one-thirtieth of the cost.
The DeepSeek app and web-based chatbot are currently free for general users, with charges applicable only for API calls utilized by programmers. In a move to promote accessibility and innovation, DeepSeek has made its full-size model available for free download. Users with sufficient hardware can run it locally, while scaled-down versions are optimized for devices ranging from ultra-thin laptops to high-performance gaming rigs.
Moreover, the company has published a comprehensive research paper detailing the development of R1, empowering other developers to replicate the process using their own training data. This open approach is intended to foster collaboration and advance the field of artificial intelligence.
Global AI Community Reacts
The release of the R1 model has generated significant buzz within the AI industry, eliciting reactions from prominent figures worldwide.
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 witnessed, 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,\" highlighting the impact of making advanced AI models accessible to the public.
Jim Fan, a senior research manager at Nvidia, praised DeepSeek as a \"non-U.S. company\" 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 underscores how \"open-source models are surpassing proprietary ones,\" rather than indicating one country surpassing another in AI.
Kai-Fu Lee, former president of Google China, expressed a sense of vindication, stating that DeepSeek's achievements validate his belief in China's potential to excel in generative AI engineering.
Championing Innovation in China
In a July 2024 interview with 36kr.com, DeepSeek CEO Liang Wenfeng asserted that China must move beyond the stereotype of merely applying foreign innovations. As the country's economy grows, he believes it should transition into a global contributor to innovation.
\"Innovation stems not only from the pursuit of business success but also from genuine curiosity,\" Liang emphasized. 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 China,\" Liang remarked. \"But we can cultivate our own.\"
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
