In a remarkable shift in the AI landscape, DeepSeek, a mobile AI application developed by a Chinese firm, has overtaken OpenAI's ChatGPT to claim the top position on the iPhone free app charts in both China and the United States. This achievement comes shortly after the company introduced its new \"reasoning model,\" DeepSeek R1.
The R1 model enables users to engage in more complex interactions. By activating the \"DeepThink (R1)\" mode, users can witness the app's \"thinking process\" prior to receiving responses, allowing it to effectively address intricate logical and mathematical problems. 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.
DeepSeek's commitment to accessibility is evident as both its mobile app and web chatbot are available for free general use, with only API calls for programmers requiring payment. Furthermore, the company has released its full-size model for free download, enabling users with sufficient hardware to run it locally. Scaled-down versions are also offered, optimized for devices ranging from ultra-thin laptops to high-performance gaming systems.
In addition to providing free access to its models, DeepSeek has published a research paper detailing the development of R1. This transparency allows other developers to replicate the process using their own training data, fostering a collaborative environment within the AI community.
Reactions from the AI Community
The release of the R1 model has generated significant buzz in the AI industry, eliciting reactions from prominent figures.
Marc Andreessen, venture capitalist and co-founder of Netscape, hailed 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.\"
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas remarked on X.com that \"DeepSeek has largely replicated OpenAI-o1-mini and has open-sourced it.\"
Jim Fan, a senior research manager at Nvidia, noted that DeepSeek is a \"non-U.S. company\" upholding OpenAI's 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 signaling \"China surpassing the U.S. in AI.\"
Kai-Fu Lee, former president of Google China, expressed a sense of vindication, stating that the DeepSeek releases validate his belief in China's potential to excel in generative AI engineering.
DeepSeek CEO Advocates for Chinese Innovation
In a July 2024 interview with 36kr.com, DeepSeek CEO Liang Wenfeng stressed the importance of China moving beyond the stereotype of merely applying U.S. innovations. He argued that as China's economy grows, it should become a global contributor to innovation rather than relying on advancements from elsewhere.
Liang highlighted that innovation is driven not only by the pursuit of business success but also by genuine curiosity. He revealed that the DeepSeek team consists 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 said. \"But we can cultivate our own.\"
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
