January 27th, 2025

Budget AI Model DeepSeek Overtakes ChatGPT on App Store

A new AI chatbot, DeepSeek, has surpassed ChatGPT in popularity on the Apple App Store, developed at a lower cost and with an open-source approach, impacting financial markets and AI discussions.

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Budget AI Model DeepSeek Overtakes ChatGPT on App Store

A new AI chatbot named DeepSeek, developed by a Chinese startup, has surpassed ChatGPT in popularity on the Apple App Store, reaching the top position in several countries, including the US. Launched recently, DeepSeek is noted for its performance, which rivals that of established models like ChatGPT, while being developed at a significantly lower cost. The startup, founded by hedge fund manager Liang Wenfeng, reportedly trained its model using 2,048 Nvidia H800s and an investment of $5.6 million, a stark contrast to the billions spent by companies like Microsoft and Meta on AI infrastructure. DeepSeek's open-source approach allows developers to inspect and build upon its technology, which has garnered praise from investors for its transparency and efficiency. Despite US export restrictions on advanced AI chips to China, DeepSeek's success indicates that Chinese developers may be innovating in AI with limited resources. This development has sparked discussions in Silicon Valley about the implications for US technological leadership, with some viewing it as a potential threat while others believe it could democratize AI development. The app's rise has also affected financial markets, leading to volatility in AI-related stocks, including a notable drop in Nvidia's shares.

- DeepSeek has overtaken ChatGPT on the App Store, raising questions about AI leadership.

- The model was developed at a fraction of the cost compared to competitors.

- DeepSeek's open-source nature allows for broader developer engagement.

- The success of DeepSeek challenges assumptions about the need for extensive AI infrastructure.

- Financial markets are reacting to the implications of DeepSeek's rise, affecting AI-related stocks.

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By @mtrovo - 3 months
The most striking aspect of DeepSeek's success is how it challenges the prevailing narrative that cutting-edge AI requires massive financial backing. Their R1 model was trained with significantly less capital, yet it's apparently on par OpenAI's models. This raises questions about the necessity of the huge sums that companies like OpenAI are investing, and whether we're possibly start seeing diminishing returns from such massive spending.

Also it seems that the impact of US export restrictions on China's AI advancements might not be as prohibitive as we initially thought. DeepSeek's breakthrough suggests that Chinese developers are finding alternative ways to circumvent limitations and potentially level the playing field in AI development. This could accelerate global competition for more efficient and cost-effective solutions.