DeepSeek Surpasses ChatGPT to Top iPhone App Charts in China and the U.S.
In a remarkable achievement for the Chinese AI industry, mobile application DeepSeek has overtaken OpenAI's ChatGPT to claim the number one spot on the iPhone free app charts in both China and the United States. This surge in popularity comes just days after the release of DeepSeek's \"reasoning model,\" DeepSeek R1, by its Chinese developers.
DeepSeek R1 introduces a \"DeepThink\" mode that allows users to observe the application's \"thinking process\" before it generates responses. This feature enhances the app's ability to handle complex logical and mathematical problems, offering a more transparent and interactive user experience. According to DeepSeek's official website, the R1 model's performance is \"on par with\" OpenAI-o1, while operating at approximately one-thirtieth of its rival's cost.
Accessible to a broad audience, DeepSeek offers its mobile app and web-based chatbot free of charge for general use, with fees applicable only for API calls by programmers. In addition, the company has made its full-size model available for free download, enabling users with adequate hardware to run it locally. For devices with less computing power, DeepSeek provides scaled-down versions optimized for everything from ultra-thin laptops to high-performance gaming rigs.
Demonstrating a commitment to open-source principles, DeepSeek has also published a research paper detailing the development of R1. This move empowers other developers to replicate the process using their own training data, fostering innovation and collaboration within the AI community.
Global AI Community Reacts
The release of DeepSeek R1 has elicited strong reactions from prominent figures in the global AI industry. Venture capitalist and Netscape co-founder Marc Andreessen described DeepSeek R1 on social media platform X.com as \"one of the most amazing and impressive breakthroughs\" he has witnessed, labeling it \"a profound gift to the world.\"
Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas highlighted DeepSeek's accomplishment, noting that the company has \"largely replicated OpenAI-o1-mini and has open-sourced it.\" Jim Fan, a senior research manager at Nvidia, praised DeepSeek as 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, commented that DeepSeek's success underscores how \"open-source models are surpassing proprietary ones,\" rather than signifying any one country surpassing another in AI development.
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 despite previous skepticism.
DeepSeek CEO Emphasizes Innovation
In an interview with technology media outlet 36kr.com in July 2024, DeepSeek CEO Liang Wenfeng discussed the importance of China transitioning from being perceived as merely applying foreign innovations to becoming a global contributor to technological advancement. He emphasized that as China's economy grows, so should its role in driving innovation.
\"Innovation stems not only from the pursuit of business success but also from genuine curiosity,\" Liang stated. He revealed that the DeepSeek team consists of young talents 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 acknowledged, \"but we can cultivate our own.\"
