DeepSeek Surpasses ChatGPT to Become Top-Rated AI App on US Apple App Store
Chinese startup DeepSeek’s AI assistant has officially overtaken OpenAI’s ChatGPT to become the highest-rated free application on Apple’s App Store in the United States. The milestone was achieved just weeks after the app’s release on January 10, according to Sensor Tower, a leading app data research firm.
Powered by the DeepSeek-V3 model, the application is praised for its performance, reportedly rivaling or surpassing the most advanced AI models globally, including closed-source competitors. DeepSeek has gained widespread traction in Silicon Valley, challenging long-standing assumptions about US dominance in AI innovation and raising questions about the effectiveness of Washington’s export controls on advanced chips.
DeepSeek researchers revealed in a paper that the V3 model was trained using Nvidia’s H800 chips at a cost of under $6 million. While the details surrounding chip usage remain debated, the use of less advanced hardware—circumventing US-imposed restrictions—has prompted many in the US tech sector to question the efficacy of these controls.
Founded in 2023 in Hangzhou, China, DeepSeek is among the growing number of Chinese firms pioneering AI models. However, it is the first to be widely recognized for rivaling and even surpassing some of the top-performing US-based AI models. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the global AI landscape.
