DeepSeek vs ChatGPT - how do they compare?

The emergence of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI app, has recently caused a stir in global financial markets and prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to call it a “wake-up call” for the American tech industry. DeepSeek’s claim that its R1 artificial intelligence model was developed at a fraction of the cost of its competitors has raised serious concerns about the future of the AI industry, causing the market value of some of the world's largest companies to drop. Within a week of its launch, DeepSeek became the most downloaded free app in the U.S., shocking the tech world.

How does DeepSeek compare to well-established American AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini? To test this, I asked both DeepSeek and ChatGPT to summarize the best Scottish football players ever. DeepSeek responded almost instantly with a top-ten list, placing Kenny Dalglish at number one. It gave short summaries of each player's position, club, and achievements, including Rangers legend Brian Laudrup and Celtic hero Henrik Larsson. DeepSeek even noted that Larsson, though Swedish, is often considered a Scottish football legend due to his time at Celtic. DeepSeek also followed up with a succinct blog post detailing the careers of these players, though it focused more on the main Scottish stars and less on broader context.

In comparison, ChatGPT also listed Dalglish at the top and provided a detailed blog post that highlighted the careers of the best Scottish players. ChatGPT's response was polished, going into greater depth about each player's contributions to Scottish football, and concluded by emphasizing the lasting impact of these legends. While both AI models performed similarly in this task, ChatGPT offered more in-depth content, but DeepSeek’s quick, direct approach had its own strengths.

Turning to coding, DeepSeek also stood out for its problem-solving abilities. AI researcher Javier Aguirre from Samsung Medical Center shared his experience on LinkedIn, where he praised DeepSeek for solving a complex coding problem that even ChatGPT struggled with. Google’s Addy Osmani also mentioned in a LinkedIn post that using DeepSeek alongside Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet could provide a powerful new hybrid solution for developers. Osmani also noted that DeepSeek is significantly cheaper to use than both Claude Sonnet and OpenAI’s GPT-4.

For brainstorming, I asked both chatbots for story ideas about a boy who lives on the moon. ChatGPT responded with six neatly summarized ideas. One was about a boy named Max who works as a postman on the moon, while another followed Oliver, a boy drawn to a mysterious alien orchestra. DeepSeek, however, offered just one idea—a 387-word story titled “Luna and the Boy Who Chased the Stars,” featuring a curious boy named Milo living on the moon. While the story itself was simple and could have used more development, the quick delivery of a full narrative was an interesting feature of DeepSeek, contrasting with ChatGPT’s more idea-focused approach.

In terms of research, both AI models performed well when asked to explain the origins of World War I. ChatGPT offered a detailed and comprehensive response, outlining the key events and factors that led to the war. DeepSeek, while more concise, still covered the essential points, and Google’s Gemini provided a similar overview. However, Gemini also included additional links to reputable sources like the Imperial War Museum, adding an extra layer of credibility.

The tests performed suggest that while DeepSeek may not yet surpass the depth and polish of models like ChatGPT, it certainly competes strongly, especially in terms of speed and cost-effectiveness. As DeepSeek demonstrates, the race for AI dominance is far from over, and the emergence of a Chinese rival to U.S. tech giants raises important questions about the future of the industry. According to Professor Neil Lawrence of the University of Cambridge, this is just the beginning, likening the potential for new innovation in AI to the improvements James Watt made to the steam engine. The field of AI is ripe for disruption, and players outside the established giants could lead the way in the next wave of technological breakthroughs.

With DeepSeek’s rapid rise, it’s clear that innovation in AI can come from anywhere, and the global tech landscape may be in for a major shake-up.