Have you ever ever discovered your self speaking to an AI prefer it’s your therapist? Simply me?
I’ll admit, I’ve used ChatGPT for extra than simply answering questions. Generally, it’s my go-to for venting about life’s little frustrations (however let’s hold that between us).
Once I want research-backed solutions, I flip to Perplexity. It has a knack for pulling collectively stable info from throughout the online.
So after I heard about DeepSeek, I used to be naturally intrigued. Might this be the subsequent large factor in AI?
In the event you haven’t heard of DeepSeek but, right here’s a enjoyable reality: On January 27, 2025, its app skyrocketed to grow to be essentially the most downloaded free app on Apple’s App Retailer within the U.S. That type of meteoric rise doesn’t occur each day. DeepSeek is making waves, and I wished to see if it lived as much as the hype.
DeepSeek is an AI firm that develops open-source massive language fashions (LLMs), positioning itself as a cost-effective and high-performance various to extra established rivals like ChatGPT. Its fashions, together with DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1, are designed for duties like technical query answering, code technology, and problem-solving.
Nonetheless, as with all AI, it’s not with out its drawbacks: occasional technical hiccups, stricter content material filters, and potential information privateness issues.
On this DeepSeek evaluate, I will talk about the professionals and cons, what it’s, who it is best for, and its key options. Then, I will present you the way I used DeepSeek’s core functionalities (DeepThink-R1, internet search, and doc evaluation). I will end the article by evaluating DeepSeek with my prime three alternate options (ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Chatsonic).
So, is DeepSeek the AI assistant you’ve been ready for? Or does it fall in need of the competitors? Let’s dive in and discover every part it has to supply.
Verdict
DeepSeek stands out with its decrease API pricing, robust efficiency in technical duties, and open-source flexibility. This makes it a compelling selection for builders searching for customizable AI options. Nonetheless, its vulnerability to immediate assaults and privateness issues relating to consumer information utilization poses important dangers you need to fastidiously contemplate.
Execs and Cons
- DeepSeek presents decrease API pricing than rivals
- Fashions like R1 and V3 carry out effectively in duties like answering technical questions, producing code, and fixing issues
- Many DeepSeek fashions are open-source or partially open-source, permitting builders to customise them
- DeepSeek makes use of strategies like Combination of Consultants (MoE) and multi-token prediction for quicker processing and diminished sources
- DeepSeek gives tailor-made options, reminiscent of DeepSeek Coder for programming and fashions for math problem-solving
- The fashions fail to dam immediate assaults selling fraud, misinformation, and safety dangers
- Privateness issues contain utilizing consumer information to enhance fashions, elevating privateness issues
What’s DeepSeek?
DeepSeek is a Chinese language synthetic intelligence firm based in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng in Hangzhou, China. It develops open-source massive language fashions (LLMs) and has gained important consideration for its AI chatbot that rivals established rivals like ChatGPT.
The corporate emerged from Liang Wenfeng’s hedge fund, Excessive-Flyer. It was based with a transparent mission: to develop highly effective language fashions that compete with paid alternate options whereas staying accessible to the broader AI neighborhood.
Its AI fashions (notably DeepSeek-V3) can carry out duties reminiscent of answering questions, fixing logic issues, and writing pc packages at a degree similar to main AI techniques. DeepSeek’s founder acquired a big stockpile of Nvidia A100 chips earlier than U.S. export restrictions, giving the corporate a aggressive edge.
On January 27, 2025, DeepSeek’s app grew to become the most downloaded free app on Apple’s App Retailer in the USA, inflicting important disruption within the tech inventory market. DeepSeek has additionally made its AI chatbot open-source, permitting free entry to its code to be used, modification, and viewing.
Overview of Out there Fashions
DeepSeek has developed a number of major fashions, together with DeepSeek V3 and DeepSeek R1.
DeepSeek V3 is their large-scale mannequin with 671 billion parameters, able to dealing with a variety of duties together with advanced coding and basic reasoning.
In the meantime, DeepSeek R1 is constructed on prime of V3 and is particularly designed for superior reasoning. It exhibits considerably higher efficiency in areas like mathematical reasoning and code technology.
Moreover, DeepSeek has launched smaller fashions just like the DeepSeek Janus-Professional-7B (a multimodal mannequin with 7 billion parameters), that’s able to understanding and producing photographs. The DeepSeek Coder and DeepSeek-Coder-V2 are specialised fashions for coding duties, with the V2 model having 236 billion parameters.
Technological Options & Architectural Improvements
DeepSeek V3 (the corporate’s newest mannequin) incorporates a number of superior architectural improvements:
- Combination of Consultants (MoE) Structure: DeepSeek V3 makes use of an MoE framework that prompts particular parameters primarily based on enter, boosting effectivity with out shedding efficiency.
- Multi-Head Latent Consideration (MLA): This improves pace, reduces reminiscence use, and handles longer sequences higher.
- DeepSeekMoE: This system balances workload throughout consultants, enhancing efficiency.
- Load Balancing Technique: DeepSeek V3 makes use of a brand new load balancing technique, enhancing efficiency with out trade-offs in skilled activation.
- Multi-Token Prediction (MTP): DeepSeek V3 predicts a number of tokens without delay to spice up effectivity.
- Reminiscence Optimization: The mannequin trains with out tensor parallelism, making GPU coaching extra environment friendly and cost-effective.
- Prolonged Context Size: DeepSeek V3 can deal with as much as 128,000 tokens, making it higher at processing lengthy paperwork.
These improvements have allowed DeepSeek to attain aggressive efficiency with considerably decrease computational sources and prices in comparison with different main AI fashions.
Who’s DeepSeek Finest For?
DeepSeek is essentially the most helpful for the next varieties of individuals:
- Advertising businesses can use DeepSeek to research client habits in area of interest markets, craft focused campaigns, and personalize messaging whereas staying forward of {industry} traits.
- Small companies can use DeepSeek to entry skilled insights at a decrease value. This successfully replaces costly consultancy companies for a aggressive edge.
- Trade professionals can use DeepSeek to get tailor-made insights in specialised fields like healthcare, finance, authorized companies, and scientific analysis.
- Builders and researchers can use DeepSeek as an open-source mannequin to change and customise AI for his or her initiatives.
- Value-conscious customers can use DeepSeek’s decrease API pricing to save lots of on AI improvement and enterprise operations.
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Firms needing focused AI can use DeepSeek to construct exact, industry-specific functions.
DeepSeek Key Options
Listed here are DeepSeek’s key options you have to be conscious of.
Mannequin Variety
DeepSeek has developed a complete suite of enormous language fashions that showcase outstanding versatility. Their flagship mannequin (DeepSeek-V3) boasts a formidable 671 billion parameters and may deal with context home windows as much as 128,000 tokens, making it exceptionally highly effective for advanced reasoning and communication duties.
Listed here are DeepSeek’s fashions:
- DeepSeek Coder (November 2023)
- DeepSeek LLM (December 2023)
- DeepSeek-V2 (Might 2024)
- DeepSeek-Coder-V2 (July 2024)
- DeepSeek-V3 (December 2024)
- DeepSeek-R1 (January 2025)
- Janus-Professional-7B (January 2025)
These fashions are designed for varied duties, together with coding, general-purpose use, and superior reasoning.
Architectural Innovation
DeepSeek has pioneered a complicated Combination of Consultants (MoE) structure that dramatically improves computational effectivity. They use exact skilled segmentation and shared isolation to enhance specialization and scale back redundancy.
Complementing this, DeepSeek developed DualPipe, a complicated communication accelerator for environment friendly pipeline parallelism. DualPipe overlaps ahead and backward computation, reduces latency, and optimizes information motion throughout GPUs by making a digital Knowledge Processing Unit to effectively trade information between all GPUs.
This mix of MoE structure and DualPipe permits DeepSeek to optimize information move between GPUs for quicker and extra reasonably priced mannequin coaching. For instance, their DeepSeek V3 mannequin (with 671 billion parameters) was skilled on 2,048 Nvidia H800 GPUs in about two months for 10X increased effectivity than some {industry} leaders.
Coaching Excellence
DeepSeek’s coaching excels with superior reinforcement studying strategies. They developed a rule-based reward system with two key elements: accuracy rewards and format rewards, which outperform conventional neural reward fashions. This method permits their AI to be taught extra nuanced and exact reasoning capabilities.
For instance, their R1 mannequin demonstrated outstanding enhancements in mathematical reasoning, growing go@1 scores on AIME 2024 from 15.6% to 71.0%. The corporate used a coaching course of with reinforcement studying. This methodology enabled the mannequin to make use of a self-verification method as a part of its reasoning course of.
The result’s a coaching method that not solely enhances computational studying but in addition creates AI fashions able to extra subtle and dependable reasoning throughout advanced duties.
Financial Effectivity
DeepSeek has achieved aggressive AI efficiency with notable value effectivity in comparison with some Western fashions.
Whereas preliminary studies of growing DeepSeek-V3 for simply $6 million have been deceptive, the corporate has demonstrated important financial benefits. The $6 million determine represents solely the ultimate coaching prices, with whole improvement bills estimated between $100 million to $1 billion yearly.
Regardless of increased total prices, DeepSeek’s method stays economically environment friendly. Their API pricing is considerably decrease than rivals like OpenAI, providing potential value financial savings for builders and companies.
This pricing technique, mixed with its open-source method and aggressive mannequin efficiency, positions DeepSeek as a probably disruptive power within the world AI know-how panorama.
Specialised Capabilities
The corporate has not simply created generalist fashions but in addition developed specialised options like DeepSeek Coder and Janus-Professional-7B.
DeepSeek Coder is a collection of programming-focused language fashions skilled on 2 trillion tokens, with 87% code and 13% pure language in English and Chinese language. Out there in sizes starting from 1B to 33B parameters, these fashions ship state-of-the-art efficiency on programming benchmarks and assist project-level code completion.
Janus-Professional-7B represents DeepSeek’s breakthrough in understanding and producing photographs. Launched in January 2025, this mannequin achieves 80% accuracy on the GenEval benchmark, surpassing rivals like DALL-E 3 and Steady Diffusion. Constructed on DeepSeek-LLM-7B, Janus-Professional-7B makes use of a 72-million-image dataset.
These focused fashions excel in particular domains reminiscent of programming and picture technology, showcasing DeepSeek’s progressive method to specialised AI options.
Accessibility Philosophy
Dedicated to democratizing AI know-how, DeepSeek releases lots of its fashions with open-source or partially open-source licenses. This permits researchers, builders, and firms worldwide to entry cutting-edge AI capabilities at considerably diminished prices.
DeepSeek has embraced open-source strategies that foster collaborative innovation, providing fashions like DeepSeek Coder, DeepSeek-V3, and DeepSeek-R1 with accessible licensing. Their pricing technique dramatically lowers entry obstacles, with DeepSeek-R1 priced at simply $0.55 per million enter tokens, in comparison with OpenAI’s o1 mannequin at $15 per million tokens.
DeepSeek brings consultants collectively and presents reasonably priced AI instruments, dashing up innovation and increasing world entry. This represents a big step towards democratizing synthetic intelligence, breaking down conventional obstacles of value, complexity, and computing energy.
How you can Use DeepSeek
This is how I used all of DeepSeek’s functionalities to reply my queries and remedy my issues:
- Choose Begin Now
- Create an Account
- Ask DeepSeek a Query
- Use the DeepThink-R1 Mannequin
- Use DeepSeek to Search the Internet
- Give DeepSeek a Doc to Analyze
Step 1: Choose Begin Now
I began by going to deepseek.com and hitting “Begin Now” free of charge entry to DeepSeek-V3.
Step 2: Create an Account
After creating an account, I used to be impressed by how clear the interface was. It seemed rather a lot like ChatGPT!
Taking a better have a look at the message discipline itself, there have been a few issues I seen that I may do:
- Activate DeepSeek-R1 to unravel reasoning issues
- Search the online
- Add paperwork and pictures
Step 3: Ask DeepSeek a Query
I wished to strive these totally different functionalities and examine them to one another, starting by asking DeepSeek an attention-grabbing query: “What are some unconventional methods to measure time with out utilizing clocks or calendars?”
I typed this into the message discipline (with out turning DeepThink or Search on) and hit ship.
A number of seconds later, DeepSeek generated a response that adequately answered my query!
Step 4: Use the DeepThink-R1 Mannequin
Subsequent, I wished to strive the DeepThink-R1 mannequin. This mannequin is designed for superior reasoning and problem-solving. It is nice for finishing extra advanced duties, like logic puzzles and mathematical challenges.
I made a decision to check its capabilities by asking it a reasoning downside and seeing how effectively it may break down and remedy it: “In the event you had an infinite provide of 3-liter and 5-liter jugs, how would you measure precisely 4 liters of water?”
A number of seconds later, DeepSeek shared the pondering course of behind the way it approached fixing the issue in each conversational tone of voice, which I discovered very insightful.
It additionally supplied two strategies for fixing the issue! I used to be impressed.
Step 5: Use DeepSeek to Search the Internet
Subsequent, I wished to make use of DeepSeek’s internet search performance. I examined this by asking it the next query: “What are the newest breakthroughs in AI-driven medical diagnostics this yr?”
A number of seconds later generated a response to my question.
I despatched the question a few occasions and, sadly, DeepSeek failed as a result of technical points. Nonetheless, this might simply be as a result of excessive demand overwhelming the servers.
Regardless, I appreciated that DeepSeek nonetheless answered the query to the very best of its potential. Nonetheless, the data it supplied was outdated by two years.
Step 6: Give DeepSeek a Doc to Analyze
Final however not least, I wished to provide DeepSeek a picture to research.
I did this by importing a PDF doc of Zhuangzi’s “Butterfly Dream” and offering the question: “Analyze this excerpt from Zhuangzi’s ‘Butterfly Dream’ and talk about its implications on the character of actuality and self-identity.”
A number of seconds later, DeepSeek supplied me with an in-depth have a look at the important thing themes and philosophical implications of Zhuangzi’s “Butterfly Dream,” which I discovered very insightful!
General, my expertise with DeepSeek was largely optimistic. Its performance felt easy and intuitive, particularly when utilizing the DeepThink-R1 mannequin and analyzing paperwork.
Whereas I did encounter a couple of technical hiccups, I used to be impressed by how deeply it analyzed issues and supplied considerate responses.
High 3 DeepSeek Options
Listed here are the very best DeepSeek alternate options you will need to strive.
ChatGPT
The primary DeepSeek various I’d suggest is ChatGPT. I exploit ChatGPT fairly religiously for a wide range of issues. However what I like most about it’s its conversational potential and the way effectively it handles a variety of queries, from informal chit-chat to extra advanced topics like coding or historical past.
DeepSeek and ChatGPT have rather a lot in widespread, like their potential to course of and generate textual content in a conversational format. Nonetheless, DeepSeek excels in high-level benchmarks for specialised duties like coding and math. It is geared extra towards these requiring pace and precision in fields like math, cryptography, or superior AI mannequin capabilities. DeepSeek has a 90% accuracy fee in math in comparison with ChatGPT’s 83%. Alternatively, ChatGPT is thought for its pleasant nature and skill to interact deeply in additional basic, on a regular basis conversations.
In the event you need assistance with extra specialised, technical duties, select DeepSeek. For extra of an interactive, participating expertise with the flexibleness to sort out a wide range of matters, select ChatGPT!
Perplexity
The following DeepSeek various I’d suggest is Perplexity. Apart from ChatGPT, it is one other LLM I am an enormous fan of for doing analysis. It appears like having a analysis assistant who not solely finds info however organizes and refines it primarily based on what I would like.
Whereas DeepSeek focuses on AI reasoning, coding, and problem-solving, Perplexity excels at AI-powered search, summarization, and analysis. Each platforms are robust in numerous areas: DeepSeek is nice for logic-heavy duties and technical challenges, whereas Perplexity is healthier for locating and organizing info.
Perplexity excels at AI-driven search, pulling info from stay web sources to offer up-to-date outcomes. In the meantime, DeepSeek focuses on superior reasoning and specialised duties utilizing its subtle mannequin. These fashions are commonly up to date however do not carry out real-time internet searches.
DeepSeek stands out with its open-source fashions, like DeepSeek-R1 which permits builders to customise AI for particular wants. In the meantime, Perplexity presents a user-friendly analysis device that feels extra like a complicated search engine.
For an AI that helps you remedy advanced issues, generate code, and work on logic-based duties, select DeepSeek. For an AI that enhances analysis, summarizes content material, and gives up-to-date solutions, Perplexity is a good selection!
Chatsonic
The ultimate DeepSeek various I’d suggest is Chatsonic. What I like about Chatsonic is the way it simplifies advertising duties with its all-in-one AI workspace and built-in optimization instruments.
Whereas DeepSeek has proven aggressive efficiency in particular areas like mathematical reasoning, Chatsonic stands out for its seamless advertising integrations and content material creation instruments.
On the one hand, DeepSeek is an open-source powerhouse. It excels in logic, math, and coding duties, making it a stable selection for technical customers who want correct problem-solving. The API entry and free mannequin availability additionally present flexibility for builders and researchers.
Alternatively, Chatsonic is constructed for entrepreneurs, writers, and content material strategists. It integrates with Ahrefs, Google Search Console, and WordPress, making real-time information retrieval and marketing campaign administration easy. Not like DeepSeek, which focuses extra on computation however can be utilized for content material creation and evaluation, Chatsonic prioritizes branding, automated workflows, and multi-model AI choice for artistic initiatives.
For a complicated AI mannequin for problem-solving, coding, and analysis, DeepSeek is a good selection. But when your focus is content material creation, advertising, and automation, select Chatsonic!
DeepSeek Assessment: The Proper Instrument For You?
After testing DeepSeek’s functionalities (DeepThink-R1, internet search, and doc evaluation), I used to be notably impressed with its potential to unravel reasoning issues and generate considerate, structured responses. Nonetheless, some technical points made the expertise really feel barely inconsistent.
Regardless, DeepSeek confirmed robust potential, particularly in dealing with advanced queries with depth and readability. Its intuitive interface and logical reasoning capabilities actually stood out to me. Regardless of the occasional glitches, it stays a promising device for analysis and evaluation!
In the event you want a robust, cost-efficient AI for coding and technical duties, DeepSeek is a stable selection. However in the event you’re in search of the very best DeepSeek alternate options, I would contemplate these choices:
- ChatGPT is greatest for basic AI conversations, content material creation, brainstorming, and coding. It presents a extra pure, interactive expertise with a excessive diploma of reliability.
- Perplexity is greatest for analysis and fact-based responses. Its AI-powered search engine delivers up-to-date, cited info that is nice for tutorial or enterprise analysis.
- Chatsonic is greatest for AI-powered picture technology, real-time internet search, and voice interactions. It is a robust possibility for digital entrepreneurs, content material creators, and companies searching for an AI with multimedia capabilities.
Thanks for studying my DeepSeek evaluate! I hope you discovered it useful.
Strive DeepSeek’s core functionalities free of charge and see the way you prefer it!
Regularly Requested Questions
Can DeepSeek be trusted?
DeepSeek’s AI capabilities are spectacular, however there are important privateness and safety issues as a result of its information storage practices in China. There are additionally potential vulnerabilities to misinformation. Whereas the mannequin exhibits promise in areas like math and coding, method it with warning given its susceptibility to producing dangerous content material and the dearth of transparency round information dealing with.
How is DeepSeek totally different from ChatGPT?
DeepSeek excels in technical precision, specializing in reasoning-heavy duties like coding, math, and structured problem-solving. In the meantime, ChatGPT presents a extra versatile and conversational expertise suited to artistic writing, brainstorming, and informal discussions. DeepSeek additionally makes use of a self-reinforced studying mannequin with out human supervision, making it more cost effective and environment friendly. It additionally presents options like limitless prompts and the flexibility to run on native machines.
What’s DeepSeek used for?
DeepSeek is an AI improvement agency that creates open-source massive language fashions (LLMs) for varied duties. These LLMs are notably robust in formal reasoning, coding, and problem-solving. DeepSeek presents a number of companies together with a internet interface, cellular software, and API entry.
Is DeepSeek free?
Sure, DeepSeek presents a very free tier with full entry to its core performance. Meaning anybody can use the DeepSeek-V3 and R1 fashions with out restrictions! Not like many AI companies that restrict free utilization, DeepSeek gives limitless entry to its chatbot and fashions with out requiring a bank card or imposing day by day question limits.
Who’s the proprietor of DeepSeek?
DeepSeek is owned by Excessive-Flyer, a Chinese language hedge fund. It was based by Liang Wenfeng, a 40-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from Zhejiang College. Liang Wenfeng serves because the CEO of DeepSeek and beforehand co-founded Excessive-Flyer, a quantitative funding administration agency that now manages a reported $8 billion in property
Why is the Nvidia inventory falling as a result of DeepSeek?
Nvidia’s inventory plummeted 17% on January 27, 2025, as a result of DeepSeek’s announcement of a cheap AI mannequin that achieves comparable efficiency to Western fashions at considerably decrease value. This improvement raised issues about future demand for Nvidia’s high-performance AI chips, that are core to its enterprise. It additionally sparked fears of elevated competitors within the world synthetic intelligence enviornment.
Is DeepSeek R1 free?
DeepSeek R1 presents each free and paid tiers, with pricing as little as $0.14 per million enter tokens and $0.28 per million output tokens. Whereas not fully free, DeepSeek R1 gives a really reasonably priced possibility in comparison with different AI fashions, with some platforms providing restricted free utilization or low-cost entry.
