Artificial Intelligence Wars: ChatGPT vs. DeepSeek

Artificial Intelligence Wars: ChatGPT vs. DeepSeek

Since the early 2020s, AI has been widely used in many sectors such as text generation, customer service, code writing, design, healthcare, law and finance. Especially in the 2023-2025 period, OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic and new players made great strides in the field of artificial intelligence.

In recent days, the Chinese artificial intelligence application DeepSeek, which is thought to bring a breath of fresh air to this sector, has been on the agenda. The emergence of the application shook the financial markets and US President Donald Trump called on his country.

What's Making DeepSeek So Popular?

DeepSeek's claim that its R1 artificial intelligence model was built at a fraction of the cost of its competitors has raised questions about the future of the entire industry and caused the value of some of the world's biggest companies to plummet. DeepSeek became the most downloaded free app in the US just a week after its launch. So how does the new app look compared to much more established and apparently much more expensive US competitors like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini?

When you ask ChatGPT what the most popular reasons for using ChatGPT are, one of them is to help people write. From collecting and summarizing information in a useful format to writing blog posts about a topic, ChatGPT has become a friend to many people in many different workplaces. But the buzzy new app looks set to change those habits. What makes it so valuable is that it costs less than competitors, tests show it produces more accurate code, is faster and more up-to-date.

What Was Observed In The Tests?

DeepSeek claims that the R1 performs “on par” with OpenAI's advanced GPT-o1. In addition, the fact that R1 is open-source means that anyone with the right skills can use it. But what about everyday, everyday use? Should we start using DeepSeek instead of ChatGPT?

In general, both give almost identical answers, with only minor differences. But DeepSeek has one big advantage - it has no messaging limits. You can chat with him all day long, but in ChatGPT you will get a warning that you need to upgrade. In addition, you have to start a new location and thus lose the saved data of the chat. In chatbots that are first tested for news knowledge, ChatGPT can scan more recent data sources without you having to ask for more, but DeepSeek requires you to press an extra search button. Although they often give the same answers, DeepSeek scans more sources and provides more examples on the topic to be researched. 

Model Distillation: DeepSeek uses a technique known as model distillation, which allows it to build a smaller, more efficient model by learning from larger, pre-existing models. This process is similar to an apprentice learning from a master, and allows DeepSeek to achieve high performance without the need for the extensive computational resources typically required by larger models like GPT-41.

Advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP): DeepSeek is designed for natural language processing tasks at its core, enabling it to better understand context and engage in more meaningful conversations. This capability is crucial for applications in chatbots, automated content creation and sentiment analysis.

Multimodal Capabilities: Beyond just text, DeepSeek can process various types of data, including images and audio. This flexibility enables it to handle a wider range of AI-driven tasks compared to models that focus only on text.

Reinforcement Learning: DeepSeek incorporates reinforcement learning techniques that enable the model to learn from its interactions and improve over time. This self-improvement mechanism increases its accuracy and adaptability in real-world applications.

High Processing Speed: DeepSeek is optimized for fast data processing that enables users to get fast and accurate answers. This speed is particularly beneficial in scenarios that require real-time decision making.

Scalability: DeepSeek's architecture is designed to scale effectively to meet increasing data and user demands without compromising performance. This makes it suitable for both small businesses and large organizations.

Integration with Existing Systems: DeepSeek can seamlessly integrate with various data platforms and software, enabling smooth workflows across different organizational environments.

DeepSeek excels in technical tasks, especially coding and complex mathematical problem solving. It is particularly useful for developers, offering features such as syntax highlighting and error detection. ChatGPT, on the other hand, is renowned for its conversational capabilities and creativity, and performs well in storytelling and general knowledge queries.

In terms of speed, DeepSeek is reported to provide faster responses, especially for programming queries. In terms of cost, DeepSeek is significantly more affordable with subscription plans starting at $0.50 per month compared to ChatGPT's $20 per month.

DeepSeek faces challenges on politically sensitive issues due to content regulation influenced by the Chinese government. ChatGPT has a broader understanding of global events.

In short, based on its features, DeepSeek really seems to be able to overtake ChatGPT.