This Week in Explainers: Is DeepSeek better than ChatGPT, Copilot?

A new word entered our lexicon this week – DeepSeek. It’s all everyone is talking about. China’s AI chatbot shook the AI world and triggered a $1 trillion loss for America’s big tech giants. Nvidia was the worst hit and while there has been some recovery, the Chinese model has left rivals scrambling and scratching their heads.

In the US, it’s still early days of the Trump presidency. He is making some tough calls, leading to confusion over the suspension of foreign aid and more.

Amid all this, the country witnessed its worst aviation disaster in more than 20 years. The American Airlines regional jet and US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair in Washington DC, leaving no survivors . As investigations continue, many questions remain unanswered.

The president held a wild press conference on the crash. After a minute of silence for the victims, he jumped right into the blame game, pointing fingers at the Biden and Obama administrations. Should we be surprised?

Elsewhere, in Africa, violence has erupted in DR Congo , as Rwanda-backed rebels seize the key city of Goma. India’s ties with Bangladesh continue to be strained. This week, Mohammed Yunus, the head of the interim government, met Alex Soros, the son of American billionaire George Soros , an outspoken critic of PM Narendra Modi.

All this and more in our weekly wrap of the big headlines from around the world.

1. You’d be living under a rock if you haven’t heard of DeepSeek. It’s the most downloaded app on Apple iOs in India, the US and the UK. The Chinese-made AI model has stunned the world and sunk some tech stocks. But what’s the big deal? The company says that the chatbot was built at a fraction cost of its rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot.

Here’s what we know about DeepSeek , its founder Liang Wenfeng and his team of young talent .

2. Is DeepSeek then the best chatbot ever made? It is cheaper but does that make it better? How does it compare with Open AI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot and Google’s Gemini? From subscription to usage, we tell you which app is most suitable for you .

3. The US has a fairly good aviation safety record. However, in a shocking incident, an American Airlines plane collided with a US army Black Hawk helicopter in mid-air in Washington DC. But what went wrong? Was it a human error or an overcrowded airspace to blame? We look at what experts say .

4. Donald Trump has a new task for Elon Musk. He wants him to bring back Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore stranded at the International Space Station (ISS). The duo have been in space for the past seven months.

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to fly back with the duo in March. Here’s how the mission will work .

5. In Trump’s America there is no place for illegal immigrants. So far, at least 7,300 have been removed from the country. A flight to Brazil particularly grabbed headlines. The migrants arrived in the South American nation wearing handcuffs. Passengers also alleged that did not have access to bathrooms and were not provided water on the plane. This story reveals the chaotic deportation .

6. Davos has become synonymous with the World Economic Forum. It’s an annual gathering of the global elite – industry leaders and some of the greatest minds. Shockingly, the Swiss town also turned into a hub of unbridled sexual activity. Escort businesses saw a surge during the WEF, held from January 20 to January 24. There were orgies and sex parties galore with many participants reportedly signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for prostitutes and transgender women.

7. India and Bangladesh ties have deteriorated under the Yunus-led interim government. Muhammad Yunus met billionaire George Soros’ son Alexander recently in Dhaka on Wednesday. This is their second meeting since Sheikh Hasina was ousted in August; the two earlier met in October in New York.

However, the powers in Bangladesh hobnobbing with the Soroses is not something India will be happy about. Here’s why .

8. Our last story is one of hope. Scientists have found a way to repair failing hearts with a “patch”. After a 46-year-old woman suffered an attack, 10 patches of 400 million cells were implanted on the surface of her heart. Her condition stabilised, allowing her to get a heart transplant. We explain why this is groundbreaking .

That’s all from us this week. If you enjoy our curated list, you can find more such explainers here .