DeepSeek vs. ChatGPT: 86.8% of Users Prefer DeepSeek for Affordability and Speed

Topview’s recent analysis of 2,347 tweets surrounding DeepSeek, a new AI tool, reveals highly diversified user opinions on social media. 

With 38.8% of tweets providing positive feedback, other users wonder if the AI’s content filtering is more restrictive than its competitors, as it sidestepped certain topics.

But is it truly on track to challenge ChatGPT, or is it simply another flash in the pan?

Between January 20th and January 29th, the AI model, developed by Chinese startup DeepSeek, received 47.3% neutral tweets and 13.9% dissatisfied users, but the strong preference for DeepSeek stood out. 

Source: Topview

A noteworthy 86.8% of users who explicitly compared different language models showed a preference for DeepSeek, noting its affordability and performance. 

ChatGPT, by comparison, earned the preference of just 12.1%, with even fewer users favouring other models like Claude and Gemini.

Source: Topview

Here’s how they stacked up across key aspects:

• Performance – Some users found DeepSeek faster and better suited for complex reasoning, while others still preferred ChatGPT’s more nuanced responses.
• Cost – DeepSeek’s affordability was a major advantage, especially among users who found ChatGPT’s pricing restrictive.
• Accuracy – While many found DeepSeek impressive, some noted gaps in precision when dealing with complex or ambiguous queries.
• Hallucinations – Like many AI models, DeepSeek occasionally generated misleading or incorrect information, leading some users to question its reliability.

“DeepSeek’s rapid adoption highlights a strong demand for cost-effective AI models. Many users highlighted price as a key factor when comparing LLMs. However, concerns about accuracy persist. If DeepSeek can balance affordability with reliability, it has the potential to reshape the AI market,” said an AI research analyst at TopView.

Even with its growing popularity, some users have spoken about DeepSeek’s content moderation policies. A particularly striking observation involved the model’s tendency to censor sensitive topics, prompting several users to wonder whether the moderation came from external regulations. 

One user pointed out, “Fun demos of DeepSeek’s new r1 shutting itself down when asked about topics the CCP doesn’t like. But the censorship is obviously being done by a layer on top, not the model itself. Anyone have the open-source version running and able to test whether/how much it also censors?”

This type of censorship has led to fears that DeepSeek could be subject to political influences, particularly the Chinese government’s regulations. A user remarked, “DeepSeek’s newest AI model is impressive—until it starts acting like the CCP’s PR officer. Watch as it censors itself on any mention of sensitive topics.”

Performance comparisons between DeepSeek and ChatGPT have also been a main part of the discussions. Many users found DeepSeek faster and more effective at handling complex reasoning, while others still preferred ChatGPT for its nuanced responses. 

However, the lack of precision when DeepSeek encountered ambiguous queries has been noted by some users as a drawback. Nonetheless, the affordability factor has kept the tool in users’ good graces, especially when compared to ChatGPT’s pricing.

In terms of user preferences, DeepSeek was a top choice among the 372 users who specified their preferred large language model (LLM). With 86.8% preferring DeepSeek, its key selling points were cost and speed, although criticisms on accuracy and censorship continue to simmer.

With DeepSeek attracting high attention, many wonder if it will be able to overcome the concerns  around censorship and maintain its affordability, or will competitors like ChatGPT continue to dominate the field? Time will tell if DeepSeek will become a resilient competitor in the AI space.

This analysis was made possible by TopView, which provides in-depth insights using AI-powered tools to explore user sentiments and preferences.

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