The world of AI is constantly evolving, with new models emerging frequently. Recently, DeepSeek R1 has been generating buzz as a potentially strong contender in the open-source AI space. This article dives into a hands-on review of DeepSeek R1, focusing on how to run it locally and its performance compared to established models like OpenAI's o1 and Claude 3.5 Sonnet.
DeepSeek R1 is an open-source AI model designed to excel in math, coding, and reasoning tasks. According to the source Reddit post, what makes it particularly appealing is its claimed ability to match the performance of powerful models like OpenAI's o1 and Claude 3.5 Sonnet in specific areas. While it turns out DeepSeek R1 is actually the distilled version "DeepSeek R1 Distill Qwen 7B" as noted in the Ollama model card.
Running AI models locally offers several compelling advantages:
The process of running DeepSeek R1 locally is straightforward, thanks to tools like Ollama. Here's a detailed guide:
1. Install Ollama
Ollama simplifies the process of running AI models on your local machine. It handles the complex dependencies and configurations, allowing you to focus on utilizing the model. Download Ollama from the official website.
2. Pull and Run the DeepSeek R1 Model
Ollama provides different model sizes, allowing you to choose one that suits your hardware capabilities. Larger models generally exhibit higher intelligence but demand more GPU power.
Here's how to pull and run different versions of DeepSeek R1 using Ollama:
ollama run deepseek-r1:1.5bollama run deepseek-r1:8bollama run deepseek-r1:14bollama run deepseek-r1:32bollama run deepseek-r1:70bTo get started, it's recommended to use the 8B version for testing:
ollama run deepseek-r1:8b
Note: The 32B and 70B versions require substantial GPU resources. Start with a smaller model and gradually increase the size based on your hardware capabilities.
3. Integrate with a Chat Client (Chatbox)
While you can interact with DeepSeek R1 directly through the terminal, using a dedicated chat client like Chatbox provides a more user-friendly experience.
Chatbox (https://chatboxai.app/) is a free and privacy-focused desktop interface designed for interacting with AI models. It supports various models and is easy to set up.
To configure Chatbox for DeepSeek R1:
http://127.0.0.1:11434 (the default setting).Now you can start chatting with DeepSeek R1 through Chatbox!
Based on initial tests, DeepSeek R1 demonstrates impressive capabilities, especially considering it's designed to run locally. Here's a summary of the performance:
DeepSeek R1 presents a compelling option for individuals seeking a free, local AI model. While it may not be a complete replacement for powerhouse models like OpenAI's offerings, its capabilities in math, coding, and reasoning are impressive, particularly for a model that can run on personal hardware. The ability to run it offline and maintain complete data privacy are significant advantages. Further testing and experimentation will reveal the full potential of DeepSeek R1.
