DeepSeek, a mobile AI application developed in China, has surged past OpenAI's ChatGPT to claim the number one spot on the iPhone free app charts in both China and the United States. This significant milestone follows the recent launch of its new reasoning model, DeepSeek R1.
When users activate the \"DeepThink (R1)\" mode, the app showcases its \"thinking process\" before generating responses. This feature enables DeepSeek to tackle complex logical and mathematical problems, setting it apart in the competitive AI chatbot market. According to the company's official website, the R1 model's performance is on par with OpenAI-o1, but operates at approximately one-thirtieth of the cost.
The DeepSeek app and web-based chatbot are currently free for general users, with only API calls for programmers requiring payment. Furthermore, DeepSeek has made its full-size model available for free download, allowing users with the necessary hardware to run it locally. For those with less powerful devices, scaled-down versions optimized for a range of systems—from ultra-thin laptops to high-performance gaming rigs—are available.
In addition to providing free access to its models, DeepSeek has published a research paper detailing the development of R1. This transparency enables other developers to replicate the process using their own training data, fostering innovation and collaboration within the AI community.
The AI Community Reacts
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, described DeepSeek R1 on social media platform X.com as \"one of the most amazing and impressive breakthroughs\" he has 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 move towards open accessibility in AI advancements.
Jim Fan, a senior research manager at Nvidia, praised DeepSeek as a company upholding the 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 signifying one country surpassing another 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 Innovation
In a July 2024 interview with 36kr.com, Liang Wenfeng, CEO of DeepSeek, emphasized that China must move beyond the stereotype of merely adopting U.S. innovations. He asserted that as China's economy grows, the nation should become a global contributor to innovation rather than relying on advancements from elsewhere.
Liang highlighted that innovation is driven by genuine curiosity, not just the pursuit of business success. He revealed that the DeepSeek team is comprised of young talent and that the development of the company's earlier V2 model did not involve any overseas contributors.
\"Perhaps the top 50 talents in this field are not in China,\" Liang stated. \"But we can cultivate our own.\"
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
