DeepSeek, a mobile AI application developed in China, has surpassed OpenAI's ChatGPT to claim the top spot on the iPhone free app charts in both China and the United States. This significant milestone comes shortly after the company launched its new reasoning model, DeepSeek R1.
With the activation of the \"DeepThink (R1)\" mode, users can view the application's \"thinking process\" before responses are generated. This feature enhances the app's ability to tackle complex logical and mathematical problems. According to DeepSeek's official website, the R1 model's performance is \"on par with\" OpenAI-o1, while operating at approximately one-thirtieth of the cost.
The mobile app and web-based chatbot are currently free for general users, with fees applying only to API calls for programmers. Demonstrating a commitment to accessibility, DeepSeek has made its full-size model available for free download, allowing users with sufficient hardware to run the model locally. For devices with less processing power, the company offers scaled-down versions optimized for a range of hardware, from ultra-thin laptops to high-performance gaming rigs.
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 within the AI community.
The AI Community Reacts
The release of the R1 model has generated significant buzz within the AI industry, eliciting reactions from prominent figures.
Marc Andreessen, venture capitalist and co-founder of Netscape, described DeepSeek R1 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 significance of this achievement on X.com.
Jim Fan, a senior research manager at Nvidia, praised DeepSeek as a company that is 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 signaling any national supremacy 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 Emphasizes China's Role in Innovation
In a July 2024 interview with 36kr.com, DeepSeek CEO Liang Wenfeng asserted that China must move beyond the stereotype of merely applying innovations from the United States. As China's economy continues to grow, he stressed the importance of becoming a global contributor to innovation.
\"Innovation comes not only from the pursuit of business success but also from genuine curiosity,\" Liang stated. 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 contributors.
\"Perhaps the top 50 talents in this field are not in China,\" Liang acknowledged. \"But we can cultivate our own.\"
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
