DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT: Hands On With DeepSeek's R1 Chatbot

The DeepSeek AI chatbot, released by a Chinese startup, has temporarily dethroned OpenAI's ChatGPT from the top spot on Apple's US App Store. Also, the DeepSeek model was efficiently trained using less powerful AI chips, making it a benchmark of innovative engineering. I've tested many new generative AI tools over the past couple of years, so I was curious to see how DeepSeek compares to the ChatGPT app already on my smartphone. After a few hours of using it, my initial impressions are that DeepSeek's R1 model will be a major disruptor for US-based AI companies, but it still suffers from the weaknesses common to other generative AI tools, like rampant hallucinations, invasive moderation, and questionably scraped material. Users interested in trying out DeepSeek can access the R1 model through the Chinese startup's smartphone apps (Android, Apple), as well as on the company's desktop website.