Chinese AI App DeepSeek Takes the Number 1 Spot on U.S. Play Store

In a surprising twist, a Chinese-developed AI app and lanuage model, DeepSeek, has soared to the top of the Google Play Store in the United States, following closely behind its earlier success on the Apple App Store.

Since launching in mid-January, DeepSeek’s Android app has amassed over 1.2 million downloads on the Play Store, while its iOS counterpart has seen over 1.9 million downloads globally.

The actual number of installs could be even higher, as the app boasts a label indicating over 5 million downloads on the Play Store alone.

DeepSeek's rise to the top comes amid growing global interest in AI-driven chatbots, especially after the release of open-source AI models from the Chinese lab that rival those of industry giants like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Anthropic.

The app’s success highlights the rapidly increasing competition between Chinese and Western AI companies. Despite the buzz, DeepSeek claims its models were trained at a fraction of the cost compared to the likes of OpenAI and Meta, using far less powerful AI chips.

This raises questions about how cost-effective AI can be developed and whether these models can sustain long-term growth. 

After all, Forbes has declared that DeepSeek is currently reshaping the future of the American tech industry. 

DeepSeek is making waves with its claim of being a cost-efficient AI solution. The company says it developed its DeepSeek R1 model in just two months, spending under $6 million by using Nvidia H800 GPUs instead of the more advanced H100 chips.

The H800, which is primarily available in the Chinese market due to U.S. export restrictions, offers lower performance but still handles AI tasks well.

However, some have raised concerns that DeepSeek may be secretly using the more powerful H100 chips, which they're not supposed to have access to. If true, this would bring up questions about how they’ve managed to produce competitive results despite their supposed use of less powerful hardware, or if their claims are overstated.

DeepSeek’s app is a ChatGPT alternative powered by its V3 AI model. The bot can answer questions, analyze files, and retrieve information from the web. It’s free to use, supports file uploads, and even allows users to sync their chat history across devices.

But while DeepSeek is on top for now, it faces a tough road ahead. To rival the success of OpenAI’s ChatGPT for the long haul, DeepSeek would need to reach 300 million weekly users—an ambitious goal by any measure.

The recent surge in attention to DeepSeek has already prompted partnerships with startups like Perplexity and Gloo, a venture founded by former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger. These collaborations signal the growing integration of DeepSeek’s models into emerging tech ventures.

The irony here is undeniable. In the midst of the global AI arms race, a Chinese app has claimed the top spot on the U.S. Play Store, a stark reminder of how quickly the landscape is shifting in favor of international competition.

The success of DeepSeek marks a fascinating turn of events, highlighting the accelerating pace at which China has become a serious player in the AI race, often overshadowing U.S.-based companies in some key areas.

As the world watches closely, it remains to be seen if this AI upstart can maintain its momentum and challenge U.S. giants for years to come.