DeepSeek, a mobile AI application developed in the Chinese mainland, 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 achievement comes shortly after the launch of DeepSeek's \"reasoning model,\" DeepSeek R1.
When users activate the \"DeepThink (R1)\" mode, the app displays its \"thinking process\" before generating responses, enabling it 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 its operational cost is approximately one-thirtieth of its competitor's.
The mobile app and web chatbot are currently free for general use, with API calls for programmers requiring payment. Moreover, DeepSeek has made its full-size model available for free download, allowing users with sufficient hardware to run it locally. For devices with less computing power, the company offers scaled-down versions of the model, 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, enabling other developers to replicate the process using their own training data.
The AI Community Reacts
The release of the R1 model has sent ripples through the AI industry, garnering reactions from prominent 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.\"
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas noted that \"DeepSeek has largely replicated OpenAI-o1-mini and has open-sourced it.\"
Jim Fan, a senior research manager at Nvidia, remarked 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 highlights how \"open-source models are surpassing proprietary ones.\"
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: Cultivating Innovation in the Chinese Mainland
In a July 2024 interview, DeepSeek CEO Liang Wenfeng argued that the Chinese mainland must move beyond the stereotype of merely applying U.S. 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 comprises 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 said. \"But we can cultivate our own.\"
DeepSeek's ascent to the top of the app charts not only signifies a significant achievement for the company but also highlights the growing capabilities and ambitions of AI development in the Chinese mainland. As open-source models continue to challenge proprietary systems, the landscape of artificial intelligence is poised for exciting transformations.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com