A Rapid Surge in Popularity
According to app analytics firm AppFigures, DeepSeek’s Android app has surpassed 1.2 million downloads on the Play Store since its mid-January launch. Meanwhile, on the App Store, it has accumulated over 1.9 million downloads globally. However, the actual number of installations is likely even higher, as the Play Store indicates that DeepSeek has already crossed the 5 million download mark.
This rapid rise in popularity follows the release of DeepSeek’s open-source AI models, which have proven to be strong competitors against those from major Western AI firms, including OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Anthropic.
What Sets DeepSeek Apart?
Despite its impressive performance, DeepSeek claims its AI models were trained at a fraction of the cost compared to industry leaders. The company has also noted that its models were developed using less powerful AI chips than those used by firms like OpenAI and Meta.
DeepSeek’s chatbot app functions as an alternative to ChatGPT, powered by the company’s advanced V3 model. Users can interact with the AI to analyze files, answer questions, and retrieve information from the web. The app is free to use, supports file uploads, and allows users to sync chat history across multiple devices.
Can DeepSeek Sustain Its Lead?
While DeepSeek is currently leading the charts, maintaining this momentum will be a challenge. To surpass OpenAI’s ChatGPT in the long run, DeepSeek would need to reach 300 million weekly active users—a significant milestone that remains a long way off.
Nonetheless, DeepSeek and its family of AI models have captured the industry’s attention in recent days. Several startups, including Perplexity and Gloo—founded by former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger—are already integrating DeepSeek’s technology into their platforms.
As DeepSeek continues to gain traction, it remains to be seen whether the company can sustain its rapid growth and establish itself as a dominant player in the AI chatbot market.
