DeepSeek, an AI chatbot, was the most-downloaded mobile app worldwide in January 2025, according to data from Appfigures.

The app available in 140 markets on iOS and Android.

It reached 16 million downloads in its first 18 days, nearly double the 9 million downloads achieved by OpenAI’s ChatGPT during its launch.

India accounts for 15.6% of total downloads since its release earlier this month.

DeepSeek topped Apple’s App Store on Jan. 26 26 and Google’s Play Store in the US on Jan. 28.

However, the app faces cybersecurity challenges, with several companies and government contractors limiting access due to potential risks.

Despite these concerns, DeepSeek’s success highlights a growing global demand for accessible AI solutions.

Recent DeepSeek developments