DeepSeek’s AI Assistant Overtakes ChatGPT as Top-Rated Free App on Apple’s App Store
A Surprising Turn of Events in the AI Landscape
Chinese startup DeepSeek’s AI Assistant has made headlines by surpassing rival ChatGPT to become the top-rated free application available on Apple’s App Store in the United States. This milestone marks a significant shift in the AI landscape, challenging the widely held view of U.S. primacy in AI and the effectiveness of Washington’s export controls targeting China’s advanced chip and AI capabilities.
The Rise of DeepSeek
Powered by the DeepSeek-V3 model, which its creators claim “tops the leaderboard among open-source models and rivals the most advanced closed-source models globally”, the artificial intelligence application has surged in popularity among U.S. users since its release on January 10, according to app data research firm Sensor Tower.
AI Models and Advanced Chips
AI models from ChatGPT to DeepSeek require advanced chips to power their training. The Biden administration has since 2021 widened the scope of bans designed to stop these chips from being exported to China and used to train Chinese firms’ AI models. However, DeepSeek researchers have claimed that the DeepSeek-V3 used Nvidia’s H800 chips for training, spending less than $6 million.
Questioning the Effectiveness of Tech Export Controls
Although this detail has been disputed, the claim that the chips used were less powerful than the most advanced Nvidia products Washington has sought to keep out of China, as well as the relatively cheap training costs, has prompted U.S. tech executives to question the effectiveness of tech export controls.
The Company Behind DeepSeek
Little is known about the company behind DeepSeek, a small Hangzhou-based startup founded in 2023, when search engine giant Baidu released the first Chinese AI large-language model. Since then, dozens of Chinese tech companies large and small have released their own AI models, but DeepSeek is the first to be praised by the U.S. tech industry as matching or even surpassing the performance of cutting-edge U.S. models.
Conclusion
DeepSeek’s rise to the top of the App Store charts is a significant development in the AI landscape, challenging the status quo and raising questions about the effectiveness of tech export controls. As the AI industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how DeepSeek and other Chinese startups continue to push the boundaries of what is possible.
FAQs
* What is DeepSeek’s AI Assistant?
DeepSeek’s AI Assistant is a free application available on Apple’s App Store that uses artificial intelligence to provide a range of services, including language translation and text summarization.
* How did DeepSeek’s AI Assistant become the top-rated free app on Apple’s App Store?
DeepSeek’s AI Assistant has surged in popularity among U.S. users since its release on January 10, according to app data research firm Sensor Tower.
* What are the implications of DeepSeek’s rise for the AI industry?
DeepSeek’s rise challenges the widely held view of U.S. primacy in AI and the effectiveness of Washington’s export controls targeting China’s advanced chip and AI capabilities. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of tech export controls and the potential for Chinese startups to compete with U.S. companies in the AI market.