DeepSeek AI App Claims Top Spot on US Google Play Store
Chinese AI lab DeepSeek reaches the number one position on the US Google Play Store, following a similar achievement on the Apple App Store. The rapid rise stems from the release of highly competitive, low-cost open-source AI models.
Chinese AI lab DeepSeek takes the number one spot on the US Google Play Store just days after achieving the same rank on the Apple App Store. App analytics indicate the Android app sees over 1.2 million downloads since its mid-January launch, though Google's label suggests actual installations exceed 5 million globally.
This sudden surge in popularity follows the company's release of open-source AI models that rival leading Western products from Anthropic, OpenAI, Meta, and Google. DeepSeek claims it trains these competitive models for a fraction of the cost and uses significantly less powerful AI chips than its American competitors.
The app functions as a free ChatGPT alternative powered by DeepSeek's V3 model, allowing users to analyze files, ask questions, and search the web while syncing history across devices. Despite currently ruling the app charts and attracting integrations from startups like Perplexity, DeepSeek still needs to reach 300 million weekly users to surpass ChatGPT's long-term lead.