Is this China's moment? Chinese AI Startup DeepSeek overtakes ChatGPT on Apple app store
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has reportedly overtaken ChatGPT to become the top-rated free app on Apple's App Store in the US as of Monday, January 27, just a little over two weeks after its release
FollowChinese AI startup DeepSeek has reportedly overtaken ChatGPT to become the top-rated free app on Apple's App Store in the US as of Monday, January 27, just a little over two weeks after its release.
DeepSeek is said to have been developed by a start-up based in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, known for its high density of tech firms.
The DeepSeek-V3 model is touted by its developers as surpassing many open-source alternatives and rivaling some of the most sophisticated closed-source AI systems globally. This milestone is more than just a technological feat—it signals a pivotal moment in the global AI race, shaking the dominance of the United States while challenging the efficacy of its export restrictions aimed at curbing China’s access to advanced technologies.
The Biden administration, continuing efforts initiated in 2021, sought to block US-manufactured chips from reaching China to hinder its AI progress. However, DeepSeek's success suggests these constraints may not be as effective as anticipated. Notably, DeepSeek researchers revealed that the DeepSeek-V3 model was trained using Nvidia’s H800 chips at a cost of under $6 million. This detail, reported by Reuters, has fueled debate over the limitations of US export bans.
While some skeptics have disputed these claims, the fact that DeepSeek achieved such progress using chips deemed less advanced than those restricted by US policies has sparked concerns within the American tech industry. These developments question whether export controls can genuinely impede China’s rapid advancements in artificial intelligence.
Founded in 2023 in Hangzhou, DeepSeek has rapidly risen from relative obscurity to become a symbol of China’s burgeoning AI expertise. It is among several Chinese firms to release advanced AI models, but the first to garner recognition in the United States for equaling—or perhaps surpassing—the performance of leading US counterparts.
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