DeepSeek has rolled out a minor update to its R1 model, and it is now available for public testing. Users say the AI model’s behavior has shifted significantly.
The company has not provided further details about the update, leaving users to explore the changes on their own. Early reactions suggest marked improvements in response quality and formatting.
DeepSeek-R1’s minor trial upgrade
The update to its R1 model was quietly confirmed in a message from a company representative shared in DeepSeek’s official WeChat group. Referred to as a “minor trial upgrade,” the new version is now live and open for public testing.
Despite confirming the rollout, the AI company has not disclosed any technical details about what the update includes. According to a Bloomberg report, DeepSeek did not respond to an email request for comment.
Users explore DeepSeek-R1’s new capabilities
Without further explanation or official documentation from DeepSeek outside the WeChat post, it’s up to users to figure out what changed with the AI model.
On X, users highlight that DeepSeek-R1’s Chain-of-Though (CoT) behavior appears to have changed significantly, with more structured reasoning. Some also noted the model now shows deeper reasoning similar to Google’s models, improved writing quality, and a more deliberate, thoughtful style.
Reddit users called the DeepSeek-R1 update a strong boost in coding performance, praising better coherence and cleaner output, even drawing comparisons to Claude 3.7’s code generation.
However, X and Reddit testers mentioned that response times are slower, but many see it as a worthwhile trade-off for more accurate results.
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What DeepSeek’s R1 upgrade means for global AI power shifts
DeepSeek’s latest R1 update may seem routine, but it hints at something bigger: China’s steady push to shift the global AI balance. The country invests heavily in AI research, talent, and infrastructure. Companies like DeepSeek, with their frequent model upgrades, are central to this strategy.
Though described as a minor trial, the R1 update shows substantial gains in reasoning and output. Notably, these enhancements are recognized by users — not promoted by the company — adding credibility to the update.
Combined with its low cost, DeepSeek is becoming a serious contender against more expensive Western models. As capable, affordable AI becomes more accessible, its quiet progress could help China move from fast follower to frontrunner in the AI race.
