(DeepSeek)
(DeepSeek)

An open-source chatbot developed by Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is seeing rapid growth in South Korea, attracting 1.2 million weekly users in its second week since launch, data showed Tuesday.

According to a report published by industry tracker Wiseapp on Feb. 4, DeepSeek's R1, released to the public on Jan. 20, ranked second in weekly user numbers during the fourth week of January, trailing the top-ranked ChatGPT, which recorded 4.93 million in the same period.

Founded in 2023, the Chinese startup made waves in the global AI community by launching a series of models that many consider on par with leading US counterparts — yet developed at a fraction of the cost.

The recent survey was conducted based on a sample of Android and iOS smartphone users across the country. The generative AI apps selected for the survey included interactive AI services that generate content such as text and images or function as personal assistants. Apps focused on specific tasks like photography, note-taking, or translation were excluded from the survey.

Homegrown generative AI apps followed closely behind. "Wrtn," launched by Seoul-based AI startup Wrtn Technologies, attracted 1.07 million, while SK Telecom’s AI personal assistant A-dot gained 550,000.

The US-based AI-powered answer engine Perplexity came next with 360,000, followed by the AI-powered productivity tool Microsoft Copilot with 170,000, and the AI chatbot Claude with 70,000.