3 minutes

DeepSeek: The Chinese AI Startup That Has Overtaken ChatGPT on Apple’s App Store

Primary Analyst:
Deborah Weinswig, CEO and Founder
Contributors
Primary Analyst:
Deborah Weinswig, CEO and Founder
Sector Lead: John Harmon, CFA, Associate Director of Technology Research
Insight Report

Here’s What’s Happened

At 12:37 a.m. on Monday, January 27, 2025, news broke that Chinese AI (artificial intelligence) startup DeepSeek had overtaken OpenAI’s ChatGPT on the Apple App Store.

What Is DeepSeek?

For the retail industry, DeepSeek is a game-changer.

The biggest differences between OpenAI and DeepSeek lie in their core focus areas, technological approaches and application domains. Here are the key distinctions:

  1. DeepSeek is more focused on practical, industry-specific applications of AI than OpenAI. It develops open-source LLMs (large language models), so it is learning at a faster rate. DeepSeek aims to enhance data processing, analysis and decision-making capabilities across various sectors. Its mission is to provide actionable insights and scalable AI solutions tailored to specific industry needs.
  2. Applications are more targeted toward solving real-world problems. For example, in healthcare, DeepSeek’s AI might focus on patient data analysis and predictive diagnostics, while in retail, it could be used for fraud/theft detection and risk assessment. This industry-specific focus allows DeepSeek to provide highly relevant offerings and more tailored solutions. In addition, the company often works closely with businesses to implement its AI technologies, which can include custom integrations, dedicated support and industry-specific optimization, making it a more hands-on partner for enterprises.
  3. While both OpenAI and DeepSeek are leaders in the AI space, DeepSeek is more focused on the practical implementation of AI technologies to solve industry-specific real-world problems. While it may engage in research, its primary goal is to deliver tangible business outcomes through AI. On the other hand, OpenAI is more oriented toward foundational research and general-purpose AI models.

Coresight Research AI Council

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