The AI Assistant chatbot, powered by Chinese startup DeepSeek’s AI, has become the most downloaded mobile app in 140 countries, according to Bloomberg. India leads in new user adoption, accounting for 15.6% of total downloads. On January 26, the AI Assistant app reached the top spot in Apple’s App Store, based on analytics from Appfigures. Notably, these figures exclude third-party app stores in China. Since then, the app has maintained its position as the global leader in downloads.
Success in the US and Comparison to ChatGPT
The app also holds the top spot in Alphabet’s Android Play Store in the US, where it has led since January 28, according to Sensor Tower. In the first 18 days following its launch, DeepSeek’s chatbot was downloaded 16 million times—nearly double the 9 million downloads OpenAI’s ChatGPT recorded after its own release. However, despite this rapid adoption, ChatGPT still has a significantly larger user base, notes NIX Solutions.
Challenges and Future Prospects
AI Assistant’s growth may face obstacles due to cybersecurity concerns. Bloomberg News reported that hundreds of companies and government contractors have already blocked DeepSeek’s app as a precautionary measure. As concerns around security and data protection evolve, the chatbot’s future expansion remains uncertain—yet we’ll keep you updated as more developments emerge.