DeepSeek's AI assistant tops Apple's App Store in the US, outpacing ChatGPT and raising questions about the effectiveness of US export controls on Chinese AI tech.
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| Chinese AI startup DeepSeek surpasses ChatGPT to become the top-rated free app on the Apple App Store, challenging US dominance in AI and tech export controls. Image/ Illustration: ChicHue |
Beijing, China — January 2, 2025:
DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, has overtaken ChatGPT to become the top-rated free app on the Apple App Store in the United States. The app, launched on January 10, is powered by the DeepSeek-V3 model, which its developers claim rivals the most advanced closed-source AI models globally, while leading the open-source AI model rankings.
Since its release, the DeepSeek AI assistant has gained significant popularity among US users, according to app data research firm Sensor Tower. The app's rise in the US market underscores the growing influence of Chinese AI and challenges the long-held assumption that the United States holds a dominant position in the AI sector. It also casts doubt on the effectiveness of US export controls aimed at restricting China’s access to advanced chips and AI technologies.
AI models like DeepSeek and ChatGPT rely on powerful chips to train their systems. In response to China's growing AI capabilities, the Biden administration has imposed stricter export bans on advanced chips since 2021, aiming to limit their use in AI development. However, DeepSeek researchers revealed that the DeepSeek-V3 model was trained using Nvidia’s H800 chips at a relatively low cost of under $6 million. Although this claim has been disputed, the use of less advanced chips and the model’s affordability have raised concerns among US tech leaders about the effectiveness of export controls.
DeepSeek, a relatively unknown startup founded in 2023 in Hangzhou, has become the first Chinese AI company to receive widespread praise in the US for producing an AI model that competes with the leading US systems. While many Chinese tech firms have launched AI models, DeepSeek has quickly emerged as a formidable player, reshaping the global AI landscape.