Apple CEO Tim Cook has praised Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek for its innovative AI models, describing them as “excellent” during his attendance at the China Development Forum in Beijing.
According to SCMP, Cook highlighted DeepSeek’s advancements in AI, acknowledging the startup’s role in enhancing efficiency within the AI development landscape.
He remarked that innovations driving efficiency are beneficial, aligning with Apple’s commitment to integrating advanced technologies seamlessly into its products. The endorsement comes as Apple prepares to introduce Apple Intelligence to the Chinese market.
DeepSeek has made significant strides in the AI sector, particularly with its chatbot service application powered by its V3 large language model (LLM). Notably, the startup achieved the top position in app stores on January 26, surpassing OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the most downloaded free app on the App Store.
The company’s ability to develop its cost-efficient R1 model in just two months with an investment of $5.6 million has been a focal point of industry discussions. This rapid development has raised questions about the necessity of large-scale GPU investments.
Apple’s approach to AI involves a hybrid model that balances on-device processing with cloud-based solutions. This strategy ensures that simple tasks are executed locally on devices equipped with custom silicon chips, while more complex operations are managed through cloud-based AI partnerships.
Currently, Apple collaborates with OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT to assist iPhone users via a private cloud.
Despite these advancements, Apple’s smartphone shipments in China faced a 25% decline in the fourth quarter, attributed to intensified competition from domestic brands like Huawei, Vivo, and Xiaomi. For the full year, Apple’s shipments decreased by 17% to 42.9 million units in the country, trailing behind Vivo and Huawei.
Apple now plans to launch Apple Intelligence in multiple languages, including simplified Chinese, in April with the release of the latest version of iOS.
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Tim Cook was probably thinking..why can't Apple pull one off like Deepseek..haha
Because Deepseek used NVDIA servers for training and Apple prefers to develop their own from the silicon team