In the world of conversational AI, OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini have long been regarded as the frontrunners, but Chinese startup DeepSeek has made a startling entry into the race.

With its innovative and cost-efficient AI model, DeepSeek has disrupted the market, displacing ChatGPT as the App Store’s top app.

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Here’s how DeepSeek compares to its more established competitors:

Training Costs

One of DeepSeek’s most striking achievements lies in its cost-efficient training process. DeepSeek’s R1 model was trained on 10,000 NVIDIA GPUs for just $6 million — a stark contrast to the significant financial and computational resources required by OpenAI and Google. This efficiency has already made waves in the industry, with NVIDIA’s stock dropping 17% amid fears of a shift toward lower-cost AI training methods.

While ChatGPT and Gemini are renowned for their high performance, the costs of training and maintaining these models are substantially higher. This raises questions about the scalability of their approaches as demand for AI continues to grow.

Performance and Capabilities

DeepSeek’s R1 model performs competitively, delivering strong results in text coherence, factual accuracy, and specialised domain queries. However, reports suggest that it occasionally struggles with multi-step reasoning and nuanced topics where ChatGPT and Gemini excel.

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ChatGPT remains a leader in conversational flexibility and reliability, making it a popular choice for applications like customer support and content generation. Gemini, on the other hand, is highly adept at advanced reasoning and benefits from seamless integration with Google services like Search and Assistant, which enhances its utility in real-world applications.

Popularity and Market Reach

DeepSeek’s rapid rise is reflected in its download numbers. Within a week, the app reached 2.6 million downloads, securing the No. 1 spot on the US App Store and becoming a top 10 app in 111 countries overall. Its growth has been concentrated in China, the US, and Egypt, which account for most of its downloads.

In contrast, ChatGPT boasts a broader global reach, with hundreds of millions of monthly users thanks to its head start in the market and widespread integration into apps and services. Gemini, though newer, leverages Google’s vast ecosystem to quickly gain traction among users worldwide.

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Ethics and Content Moderation

A key distinction lies in how these models handle sensitive content. DeepSeek has been criticised for its pro-China bias, avoiding topics like the Tiananmen Square protests. This approach may limit its appeal in regions that value open discourse.

Meanwhile, ChatGPT and Gemini adhere to transparency and neutrality guidelines, providing balanced responses even for controversial topics. This ethical positioning enhances their credibility in markets where objectivity is a priority.

Challenges for DeepSeek

Despite its success, DeepSeek faces hurdles. Large-scale cyberattacks have disrupted access for users outside China. Its long-term viability will depend on overcoming these obstacles while continuing to innovate and expand globally.

DeepSeek’s emergence as a competitor to ChatGPT and Gemini highlights the evolving nature of the AI landscape. Its cost-effective approach and rapid market penetration demonstrate that innovation can challenge established giants. However, its ability to sustain this momentum and address concerns about ethics and global accessibility will determine whether it becomes a lasting player in the AI space.

As competition intensifies, consumers stand to benefit from improved technologies and lower costs, with DeepSeek, ChatGPT, and Gemini each pushing the boundaries of what conversational AI can achieve.