DeepSeek's Rise to the Top
DeepSeek, a mobile AI application developed by a Chinese tech firm, 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 achievement comes shortly after the company launched its innovative \"reasoning model,\" DeepSeek R1.
When users activate the \"DeepThink (R1)\" mode, the app displays its \"thinking process\" before generating responses. This feature enables DeepSeek to tackle complex logical and mathematical problems, setting it apart from its competitors. According to the company's official website, the R1 model's performance is \"on par with\" OpenAI-o1, while operating at approximately one-thirtieth of the cost.
Accessibility and Open Source Commitment
DeepSeek is currently offering its mobile app and web chatbot free of charge for general users, with fees only applicable for API calls used by programmers. Demonstrating a commitment to accessibility and collaboration, the company has made its full-size model available for free download. Users with sufficient hardware can run it locally, while scaled-down versions are optimized for devices ranging 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 the R1 model. This transparency allows other developers to replicate the process using their own training data, fostering innovation within the AI community.
Industry Leaders React to DeepSeek's Breakthrough
The release of the R1 model has garnered significant attention and praise from prominent figures in the AI industry.
Venture capitalist and Netscape co-founder Marc Andreessen described 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.\"
Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity, noted that \"DeepSeek has largely replicated OpenAI-o1-mini and has open-sourced it,\" highlighting the company's contribution to the open-source movement.
Jim Fan, a senior research manager at Nvidia, praised DeepSeek as a company that is upholding the 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 one country surpassing another in AI innovation.
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 discussed the importance of China moving beyond the stereotype of merely applying U.S. innovations. He emphasized that as China's economy grows, the country should evolve into a global contributor to technological advancements.
Liang highlighted that innovation arises not just from pursuing business success but also from genuine curiosity and the desire to explore new frontiers. 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 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
