Chinese startup DeepSeek’s AI Assistant has become the top-rated free app on Apple’s App Store in the US, surpassing OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Powered by the DeepSeek-V3 model, the app was launched on Jan. 10 and quickly gained popularity among US users, according to research firm Sensor Tower.

DeepSeek-V3 is reported to compete with leading closed-source AI models globally.

The company claims it trained the model using Nvidia’s H800 chips for under US$6 million, raising questions about potential use of chips restricted by US export controls.

This scrutiny follows the Biden administration’s 2021 chip export restrictions aimed at curbing China’s AI advancements.

Founded in 2023, DeepSeek is smaller and lesser-known than Chinese tech giants like Baidu.

However, it is the first Chinese AI model recognized in the US for matching or surpassing the performance of top US models, drawing significant attention from the US tech industry.