'OpenAI cost $500B? I’ll clone it for $5m': The best DeepSeek reactions as AI engine soars in popularity

The AI race just got interesting with emergence of a new low-cost AI chatbot DeepSeek created by a Chinese startup, and it's already causing a stir in the tech world.

This is because DeepSeek claims to use fewer advanced chips and so it was created at a fraction of the cost of its industry competitors such as OpenAI, the American company behind ChatGPT and Google's Gemini.

Since it was release on January 20, it has shot to the top of Apple's App Store charts, surpassing ChatGPT - although DeepSeek has temporarily limited registrations after it was hit with a "large-scale malicious attack".

Consequently, news of the Chinese-made AI model has been wrecking havoc on the stock market where chipmaker Nvidia lost more than $500bn in market value - to put it in perspective, this is the biggest one-day loss in US history.

The DeepSeek app is displayed on an iPhone screenPhoto Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

This development has sparked questions over the future of AI and whether the US will continue its dominance in the industry.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has shared his thoughts on DeepSeek's R1 "reasoning" model.

"DeepSeek's r1 is an impressive model, particularly around what they're able to deliver for the price," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"We will obviously deliver much better models and also it's legit invigorating to have a new competitor! we will pull up some releases," he added.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has since commented on the rise of DeepSeek, describing it as a "wakeup call" for US AI companies.

"The release of DeepSeek, AI from a Chinese company should be a wakeup call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win, he said.

On the fact DeepSeek uses fewer advanced chips, he continued: "I view that as a positive, as an asset... you won't be spending as much, and you'll get the same result, hopefully".

Social media is having a field day with DeepSeek causing chaos in the AI and finance worlds, here are the best reactions:

"“OpenAI huh? $500B? Gimme 2 weeks and $5 million and I’ll clone it asap” - DeepSeek’s CTO," one user wrote.

The 'European reaction' to DeepSeek overtaking ChatGPT in the Apple Store...

To put the AI race in simple terms.

Think pieces incoming...

"Deepseek this deepseek that. How about you seek a deep connection with a woman," another person joked.

Just a little side project.

"Personally I’m staying away from Deepseek. I don’t want the Chinese spying on me and seeing what kind of videos I’m watching on TikTok," someone else shared.

The Olympic shooter meme has returned.

"Aesthetically deepseek has already won because its the first company whos logo doesn't look like a butt hole".

"When everyone is worried about DeepSeek but you work for a company that’s still stuck in 2005," another added.

"If China pulls a DeepSeek on the Adobe creative suite they’ll have us singing Red Sun in the Sky by Q2 2025."

"Semiconductor fund managers after seeing 4 memes about DeepSeek on X."

"DEEPSEEK WAS ABLE TO BUILD THIS IN A CAVE," another user posted. " WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS".

Elsewhere, the internet was recently sent into meltdown as ChatGPT went down, and AI experts' worst fears realised as technology crosses 'red line'.

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