In the world of artificial intelligence, OpenAI’s dominance seemed unshakeable, with ChatGPT as a well-established household name. That is, until DeepSeek burst onto the scene. Within days, this free and open-source competitor generated massive excitement across social media, tech forums, and mainstream outlets. Many might have expected OpenAI to respond with public statements or capability comparisons. Instead, they chose a different strategy: silence.
Was this an accident, or a well-thought-out plan? Instead of getting drawn into a back-and-forth with a rising competitor, OpenAI appeared to focus on its own roadmap, rolling out new premium tools and letting the media cycle play out—though it’s possible some releases were pushed forward in response to DeepSeek’s momentum. The result remains to be seen, but early indications suggest DeepSeek’s surge may be leveling off while OpenAI continues to assert its strengths in the AI space.
Let’s break down how OpenAI played this moment strategically and what it tells us about handling viral competitors.
DeepSeek’s Breakout: A Classic Viral Hype Cycle
Looking at Google Trends data, we can see how quickly public interest surged when DeepSeek hit the scene. The pattern is clear: DeepSeek’s rise was sudden and steep. However, even at its peak, it never overtook the level of consumer attention that ChatGPT consistently holds.
This chart shows search interest over time, illustrating how DeepSeek went from total obscurity to a major spike in January 2025. Meanwhile, ChatGPT still remained far ahead in overall search interest.
As we’ve seen with many tech trends before, an initial spike doesn’t always translate into long-term staying power.
Strategic Silence: How OpenAI Played the Long Game
DeepSeek’s rise was reflected in both search trends and media coverage. Share of voice analysis shows DeepSeek surpassing OpenAI in traditional media mentions (60%) and dominating social media (71%). However, even at its peak, ChatGPT maintained far greater consumer interest on Google Trends, highlighting its entrenched position in the AI landscape.
This graphic shows DeepSeek’s media presence surpassing OpenAI’s after January 25, with DeepSeek owning 60% of traditional media mentions and 71% of social media discussions.
While DeepSeek won the short-term media battle, OpenAI still held onto a significant portion of coverage. Meanwhile, OpenAI was able to maintain its credibility and presence without engaging in direct comparisons.
It is also clear that the media’s interest in comparing DeepSeek to the more pervasive OpenAI and ChatGPT drove coverage for both brands, resulting in a significant portion of overlapping coverage mentioning the two:
In the face of DeepSeek’s rapid emergence, OpenAI maintained a strategic focus on advancing its own positioning and product offerings. This is a classic Apple-style strategy: ignore the noise, release something even bigger, and make the competition look like a niche alternative.
Notably:
- On January 30, 2025, OpenAI announced an agreement with the U.S. National Laboratories in a press release including language on accelerating U.S. global technological leadership and security.
- On January 31, 2025, OpenAI released the o3-mini model, providing free access to advanced reasoning capabilities. This move was seen as a direct response to DeepSeek’s competitive presence.
- Subsequently, on February 3, 2025, OpenAI introduced the “deep research” tool, designed to generate comprehensive reports by analyzing and synthesizing data from various online sources. This tool aims to assist professionals in fields such as finance, science, and engineering.
This timeline shows DeepSeek’s media coverage surge and OpenAI’s product announcements, showing how OpenAI focused on continued product development without direct engagement.
These initiatives underscore OpenAI’s commitment to enhancing its AI capabilities and expanding accessibility, reinforcing its position in the competitive AI landscape.
Conclusion: The Risk & Reward of Letting a Competitor Own the Moment
OpenAI’s strategic silence may have seemed passive, but was it actually a deliberate long-term play? Some industry analysts suggest that staying quiet allowed OpenAI to avoid amplifying DeepSeek’s momentum, while others speculate that OpenAI’s focus was simply on its own roadmap rather than a calculated response. Either way, the effect was the same—DeepSeek had its moment, but OpenAI continued to lead in key areas, including enterprise adoption, sustained media coverage, and overall consumer engagement, as evidenced by Google Trends data and traditional media reach. By refusing to engage directly, OpenAI avoided amplifying DeepSeek’s rise. Instead, they let the news cycle play out and doubled down on their own strengths.
The takeaway? Sometimes, the best way to handle a competitor’s viral moment isn’t to join the fight on their terms—it’s to focus on your own path and let the hype run its course.
This research was conducted by Agility PR Solutions’ team of media analysis experts.
