DeepSeek | Depth SeekDeepSeek offers a free AI assistant, supporting 128K long text processing, file parsing, and intelligent conversation, covering scenarios such as studying, office work, a...
Last week, when I was working on my thesis abstract, I was torn between using a general-purpose AI or a tool specifically for processing long texts. I happened to come across DeepSeek’s free service, so I compared it with the regular AI assistant I usually use. Both can be used directly without registration, which saved a lot of hassle.
Official website: https://chat.deepseek.com
When I used the regular AI assistant before, it could only process a few thousand words at most. If I had a thesis of over 10,000 words, I would have to split it into several sections to upload separately, then piece the results together, and it was easy to miss details in between. DeepSeek is different: with its 128K long text processing capability, you can upload an entire document of tens of thousands of words directly without splitting it. The generated summary also corresponds to specific paragraphs in the original text, with no discrepancies.
Another practical point: regular AIs need to convert files to plain text first. If you have a work report with tables, you have to manually extract the data, which is very troublesome. DeepSeek supports direct parsing of files in formats like documents and tables. Last week, I tested a project schedule; after uploading it, it could directly extract the key data and help me sort out the key progress points of each stage, so I didn’t have to organise it manually.
I later tested both tools in scenarios like studying, office work, and programming, and found that their adaptability varies a lot. For example, students writing theses can use DeepSeek to process the entire literature, directly summarise the core viewpoints, and help sort out the logic, which saves half the time compared to splitting it into sections and using a regular AI. If you just need to look up a word or ask a simple knowledge point, a regular AI is sufficient, and there’s no need to specifically look for DeepSeek.
When handling daily work in the workplace, a regular AI can handle simple tasks like asking how to write meeting minutes. But if you need to parse a project proposal of dozens of pages, or organise key data from a table into report points, DeepSeek’s file parsing function is more practical, as you don’t have to switch formats back and forth or enter data manually.
Programming friends can also try comparing them: a regular AI can help explain simple code logic, but when it comes to analysing long code segments, DeepSeek’s multi-scenario conversation can explain step by step according to the code structure and give debugging suggestions, which is more coherent than the fragmented responses of regular AIs.
The most obvious difference between these two tools is also the usage threshold. Although regular AIs don’t require registration, they sometimes pop up payment prompts, and the response speed of basic functions is slow. DeepSeek’s basic service is free, no client download is needed, you can use it directly in the browser, the interface has no fancy ads, and you can start using it right away without wasting time looking for function buttons.
I’ve paid special attention: DeepSeek’s conversation interface is very concise, the input box is in the most prominent position, and the file upload button is also easy to find. First-time users can figure out how to operate it at a glance. Unlike some AI tools, whose functions are well-hidden, you can’t find the entry after searching for a long time, which wastes time.
In fact, there’s no need to specifically worry about which one to choose. For asking simple questions or processing short content, a regular AI is sufficient. If you have needs for processing long texts or multi-format files, DeepSeek’s advantages are obvious. Its free basic service means you don’t have to worry about pitfalls, and you can get the hang of it after a few tries, which exactly covers most daily needs in studying, office work, and programming.
