DeepSeek Chinese AI Startup Overtakes OpenAI ChatGPT Become Top Free App on Apple App Store

Chinese startup DeepSeek’s AI assistant on Monday overtook ChatGPT to become the top-rated free application available on Apple’s App Store in the US. The app working on DeepSeek-V3 model is said to be very advanced. What’s special is that DeepSeek developed it using far fewer computing resources, reportedly relying on only 2,000 Nvidia chips and about $6 million worth of computing power, compared to Meta’s $60 million. It is also worth noting that the startup has developed this system when America has imposed export restrictions on advanced chips with the intention of maintaining the lead in the industry.

DeepSeek has become the top free app on Apple’s App Store in America. It has defeated ChatGPT. The developers say it “tops the leaderboard among open-source models and rivals the most advanced closed-source models globally.” According to app data research firm Sensor Tower, the popularity of the artificial intelligence application has increased significantly among American users since its release on January 10.

AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini and DeepSeek-V3 require highly advanced chips to train, and the Biden administration has made every effort to prevent these chips from being exported to China since 2021. However, it appears that this Chinese startup, started in 2023, has turned this challenge into an opportunity.

According to one report, DeepSeek-V3 engineers used far fewer specialized computer chips – which are necessary for training the AI ​​– than its American competitors. These chips have been the main focus of the technological race between the US and China. The US imposed several restrictions on exports to maintain its AI lead, but the New York Times says DeepSeek’s success shows that Chinese researchers have become more innovative with the resources they have.

DeepSeek-V3 reportedly performed well at tasks such as answering questions, solving logic problems, and generating code. Even more impressive is the cost, with reports saying DeepSeek spent around $6 million on computing power, while Meta reportedly used $60 million for its latest AI product. While leading AI companies often use supercomputers with 16,000 or more chips, DeepSeek reportedly uses only 2,000 Nvidia chips.