Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping industries globally at an unprecedented pace. With an estimated 97 million AI-related jobs expected by 2025, the integration of AI into the global workforce is deepening. Indeed, 83% of companies now prioritize AI in their strategic plans, 48% are leveraging it to better utilize Big Data, and 38% of healthcare organizations already use computers to aid in diagnostics.
These statistics point to a reality: AI is here to stay, so we must adapt. From ChatGPT to Gemini, from Grok 3 to DeepSeek, AI is both a thinking partner for some and a competitor for others. Perhaps it’s time to shift the question from “What can AI do?” to “Which AI does it best?” In this Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek review, I’ll conduct a head-to-head test, and I’m sure you’re all eager to know who will emerge victorious.
To help tech enthusiasts, developers, and AI professionals understand which model performs better on specific tasks, this article provides a comprehensive AI model comparison, including testing methods, prompt-by-prompt analysis, performance assessments of both AI models in terms of accuracy, creativity, and usability, and a final conclusion.
Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek: Overview
Jumping straight into the head-to-head tests wouldn’t paint the complete picture. To better understand the results of these 10 test prompts, I’ll provide a quick overview of Grok-3 and DeepSeek.
Grok 3, released in February 2025, is an AI model developed by xAI. xAI is an artificial intelligence startup founded by Elon Musk, aiming to compete with other models like ChatGPT and Gemini. Upon Grok 3’s debut alongside Grok 3 Mini, xAI confirmed that the model demonstrates significant improvements in reasoning, mathematics, coding, world knowledge, and instruction following.
Furthermore, Grok 3 excels in both academic benchmarks and real-world user preferences, achieving an Elo rating of 1402 in Chatbot Arena. The company further stated that Grok 3’s reasoning capabilities are optimized through large-scale reinforcement learning, enabling it to think for seconds to minutes, correct errors, explore alternatives, and deliver accurate answers.
Are these claims accurate? Follow me through the subsequent sections of this Grok-3 vs. DeepSeek review to find out. But before we begin, here’s some background: Grok was first released to a limited group of users in November 2023 and open-sourced in 2024. There are other versions, such as Grok-1, Grok-1.5, Grok-2, and Grok-2 Mini.
How I Tested Grok 3 and DeepSeek
I know your curiosity compels you to ask about the testing methods. I’m here to satisfy that curiosity. As this article is a Grok3 vs DeepSeek review, every detail is based on practical experience. This helps update your knowledge, and it also aids in determining the victor.
Building on this, I created a set of prompts covering key areas such as mathematics, summarization, creative generation, fact-checking, creative writing, news, conversation, screenwriting, marketing, translating complex topics, and abstraction. To determine the winner in each category, I assessed the two models based on accuracy, creativity, clarity, and overall usability.
Prompt: Both AI models were used with free online versions
Prompt-by-Prompt Comparison: Grok vs Deepseek
Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Creative Generation
- Prompt: Techpoint Africa is looking to expand its portfolio. Generate three creative business ideas that align with the platform’s goals, and include a clear strategy to succeed with African markets as a use case.
Grok 3’s Response:
Grok 3 provided a comprehensive analysis that covered key aspects such as the concept, alignment with Techpoint Africa’s goals, strategies to succeed in the African market, and the potential impact of each idea.
DeepSeek’s Response:
Deepseek provided a concise analysis, detailing the concept, why it is effective, and the strategy to succeed. Its analysis suits people who only need ideas but will work on the strategy and potential impact.
My Winner: Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Creative Generation
Both models provided diverse business ideas for Techpoint Africa that aligned with the prompt. While Grok 3 provided a comprehensive analysis of ideas with a long-term focus, DeepSeek attempted to be concise but offered ideas that are short-term focused. As someone who appreciates depth, I’ll choose Grok 3 as my winner while not denying that DeepSeek also did well with the prompt.
Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Math Problem Solving
- Prompt: Guide me on how to find the area of a triangle with a base of 10 cm and a height of 12 cm in the simplest way possible, without advanced math skills!
Grok 3’s Response:
Grok 3 provided a clear and accurate solution. It followed a logical order, beginning with the formula, substituting the numbers, and carefully guiding me through each step of the calculation with relevant rectangle analogies. In addition, the tone was rather professional,
DeepSeek’s Response:
Deepseek also accurately answered the question but with a more engaging style that included the addition of emojis and a quick check. This style can be effective for a younger or non-technical audience.
My Winner: Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Math Problem Solving
Both models provided accurate answers, but with different styles. While Grok 3 preferred clarity and structure, which is appropriate for professional or academic audiences, DeepSeek made it more creative and friendly for general or beginner audiences. Based on this, and as someone with basic math knowledge, DeepSeek is my winner.
Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Generating Summaries
- Prompt: Summarize this article for me. Make sure that you capture all of the important details and main ideas so that I fully understand it without feeling like I am missing anything.
Article: Up until recently, hashtags ruled digital visibility. From #ThrowbackThursday to #TGIF to #WCW, and even to #EndSARS, hashtags helped build Internet communities and conversations.
However, as we move further into 2025, the question buzzing in the digital corridors is, Are hashtags still relevant?
Although they haven’t completely disappeared, they have certainly lost their crown.
The Decline of Hashtag Activity
Let’s take it back to 2014. Instagram was gaining traction; Twitter (now X) posts were still 140 characters, and hashtags were gold. They helped content spread, brought visibility, and even started social movements.
These hashtags were primarily a way of boosting keyword searches. They provided content suggestions based on those keywords.
However, as platforms evolved, so did their algorithms, which may have pushed hashtags into a corner.
Currently, the digital landscape has become algorithm-first, and hashtags have somewhat been demoted. TikTok, the foremost content platform among Gen Z in Africa and beyond, doesn’t rely on hashtags to surface trending content. Instead, it relies on behavioral data, which is to say, what you like, how long you watch for, and what you comment on, to curate your feed.
Instagram and X have followed suit, moving toward interest-driven discovery. It is less about what you tag and more about what the algorithm thinks you will like.
Hashtags still exist; they are just not what they used to be.
“Hashtags are losing their appeal, but they are helpful for new and upcoming content creators,” says Nathan Olori, a TikTok and Instagram influencer. “You wouldn’t see celebrities using hashtags because there are other social media tools, but for new content creators, they are still somewhat relevant.”
Within the African creator ecosystem, especially in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, hashtags still serve niche purposes, community building (#TechpointDigest), event aggregation (#LagosStartupExpo2025), and activism (#JusticeMustPrevail). But their role in boosting discoverability is almost passé.
Meta’s documentation now says that hashtags are a “minor signal” to Instagram’s recommendation engine. Translation? Use them if you want, but don’t expect them to get your posts widely seen.
A video of Instagram’s CEO saying that hashtags don’t necessarily drive engagement surfaced online earlier this year and sparked arguments from users.
Some asked, “If they are no longer relevant, then why do you still have them as an option when you post?”
These hashtags are sometimes only used to classify and index content, particularly on a platform like Instagram, which is why it is still an option.
In the African Creator Survey of 2025, 73% of content creators said they relied on trends rather than hashtags to create content and boost audience growth. This is relevant because most of these trends can be seen on TikTok’s ‘For You’ page or Instagram’s ‘Explore’ and ‘Reels.’
Meanwhile, on LinkedIn, hashtags are still active. Professionals still use them to mark topics, join conversations, and appear in searches. However, this is probably more about SEO than community.
What is Replacing Hashtags?
One word: algorithms.
Algorithms have become so advanced that they can understand what content is about without a single hashtag. By using AI-powered content recognition, platforms analyze visuals, text, audio, and behavior to determine who should see a post.
This AI analyzes video content like the background, sounds, subtitle text and actions to describe and push those videos to relevant audiences.
For creators, this means focusing more on storytelling, editing, timing, and audience engagement, rather than stacking #likefortags.
Meanwhile, community is moving from open timelines to closed spaces like WhatsApp Channels and Telegram groups, where hashtags are irrelevant.
Hashtags in Africa
In Africa, where social media has often been a tool for entrepreneurship, activism, and influence, hashtags once held a special place. Movements like #EndSars in Nigeria, #EndAnglophoneCrisis in Cameroon, and #RapeNationalEmergency in Liberia showed the power of hashtags to unite voices across the continent.
Today, even grassroots movements are evolving. AI-powered tools, meme culture and viral challenges are now also leading the way. The spread of information is less about whether something is tagged or not because platforms are tagging behind the scenes.
So, are hashtags dead in 2025? Not quite, but they have been superseded by smarter algorithms, AI content mapping, and behavior-first discovery models.
For African creators, brands, and activists, the focus is now less on what you tag and more on what you create and who you connect with.
Hashtags may still be on your keyboard, but they are no longer the key to digital success.
The age of hashtags is not over; it’s just being redefined.
Grok 3’s Response:
Grok 3 provided a clear and structured summary, focusing on main points such as the rise and fall of hashtags, the role of algorithms, and the current niche uses. While it briefly mentioned the African context, the response was unnecessarily lengthy, which might scare away individuals who only want to grasp the main points.
DeepSeek’s Response:
DeepSeek provided a succinct yet detailed summary that covered not only the wide trends but also platform changes, activism, creator habits, and the shift to closed communities. It included more context, which painted a clearer picture of the article.
My Winner: Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Summarization
Both AI models answered the prompt, but I’ll pick DeepSeek as my winner because it better captured all of the important details, aligning with the prompt’s request for full understanding without missing anything. As concise as DeepSeek was, it included findings like how 73% of African creators prioritize trends instead of hashtags and specific examples of African movements, providing more depth, implying that the AI model values details.
Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Fact-Checking
- Prompt: Fact-check this claim: “Medical students in Nigeria can become doctors for just ₦500,000.” Verify its accuracy using credible, up-to-date sources. Provide evidence to confirm if the claim is true, partially true, or false, and explain why.
Grok 3’s Response:
Grok 3 provided a detailed fact-check that included evidence and analysis, background information on the claim, and reasons why the claim is false. The AI model also included contents of what it thinks could be the source of the misconception. While the response was detailed and structured, it might feel too long for casual readers.
DeepSeek’s Response:
DeepSeek said the claim is “partially correct but misleading,” which is not accurate. While it identified that annual tuition fees could be less than ₦500,000, it failed to capture the total cost over six years. Its fact-check was shorter and easier to read, but it didn’t adequately refute the claim, leaving a false impression.
My Winner: Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Fact-Checking
When comparing these two models, Grok 3 has an edge here. It was factually accurate and provided detailed background information, even though casual readers might be puzzled by the response. Still, DeepSeek, despite being more concise, misunderstood the core of the question and defined the claim as partially correct when it should be tagged as completely false.
Based on this experience, I recommend using Grok 3 for serious fact-checking that requires accuracy and complete background information. DeepSeek is simpler but misleading, making Grok 3 the more reliable fact-checker for this claim.
Note: Fact-checking platform FactCheckHub has fact-checked this claim and confirmed it to be false.
Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Creative Writing
- Prompt: In 2040, Techpoint Africa journalists don’t use laptops; they use mind-mapping implants to write articles. Tell a story in 200 words about a rookie journalist struggling with the tech.
Grok 3’s Response:
Grok 3’s story was emotional and well-structured. It detailed the journey of the protagonist, who happens to be a rookie journalist with Techpoint Africa, showcasing a realistic growth from failure to eventually succeeding with the help. It had a clear beginning, middle, and end, which made it feel complete. However, while the prompt said 200 words, Grok 3’s answer was 174 words.
DeepSeek’s Response:
DeepSeek used a strong sense of humor and imagination. It showcased funny and chaotic scenarios, such as the character’s beard glowing and cat videos flooding the news feed. This made the story memorable. The plot also moved quickly and had surprising, playful moments, which is very important to creative writing. It maintained the 200-word limit.
My Winner: Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Creative Writing.
Overall, both AI models did well with the creative writing task, but Grok 3 missed the 200-word mark. Based on my experience with both, DeepSeek wins because it captivated attention faster with stronger, funnier imagery. It portrayed key elements of good creative writing.
Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in News Updates
- Prompt: I’m confused about the recent issue between Zap Africa and Paystack’s Zap. Can you help me understand what’s going on, including how far the issue has developed?
Grok 3’s Response:
Grok 3 again maintained its detailed and well-structured attributes. The AI model took me through the background, the issue, the actions taken, the current state, and the broader implications without any misleading pieces of information.
DeepSeek’s Response:
However, DeepSeek got it wrong here. The AI model attempted to reply concisely, but the information was wrong. For example, DeepSeek said Zap Africa is a South African brand, which it is not; it is a Nigerian brand. This could mean it lacks full contextual understanding of the prompt or that it may have difficulty maintaining awareness of specific details.
My Winner: Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in News Updates
Obviously, my winner is Grok 3. Besides its well-structured analysis, it also provided accurate information, unlike DeepSeek, which included inaccurate information. If this wasn’t a test, DeepSeek would have comfortably misled the user.
Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Marketing
- Prompt: What are the latest trends and behaviors among young African consumers? How can tech media platforms adjust their marketing to target them?
Grok 3’s Response:
Grok 3 provided an in-depth analysis of young African consumers, focusing on mobile-first behavior, fintech trends, and the importance of cultural relevance. It offered a broader approach to tackling the challenges. However, it might be too lengthy for people who want something concise and straightforward.
DeepSeek’s Response:
DeepSeek, however, advised a practical, action-oriented approach, emphasizing the effectiveness of memes, local humor, and interactive campaigns (quizzes, AR filters) in engaging young Africans. The model’s response might not be appropriate for people who prefer comprehensive insights.
My Winner: Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Marketing
Both models were very effective in presenting strategies to engage young African consumers. Grok 3 provided an in-depth trend analysis, while DeepSeek offered direct, actionable strategies. While picking a winner is difficult because both models correctly addressed the prompt, I’ll choose Grok 3 because I prefer depth.
Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Translating Complex Topics
- Prompt: Explain how a self-driving car works, use simple examples and analogies so that a 10-year-old can understand. Avoid using technical terms, and make it relatable to everyday life.
Grok3’s Response:
Similarly, Grok 3 provided a comprehensive explanation, although it overextended parts of the analysis. The response might be considered too detailed for people looking for quick, straightforward explanations.
DeepSeek’s Response:
DeepSeek’s response was simple and straightforward. This makes it suitable for people looking for rapid explanations. It also gave a strong foundation with details to convey the main idea. The use of eyes and ears, brain, memory, and learning made it easy to read and internalize. However, its attention to superficial details might not suit readers seeking a broader understanding.
My Winner: Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Translating Complex Topics
Both models correctly addressed the prompt. While Grok 3 provided depth, DeepSeek was concise and relatable. Although I prefer depth and would have picked Grok 3, for the prompt’s context, which included a 10-year-old, DeepSeek did a better job here.
Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Conversation
- Prompt: Hi, let’s chat like two friends catching up after a long time. Be a bit nosy, asking me things about life, work, etc. Keep the conversation natural.
Grok3’s Response:
Grok was vibrant and used a lot of slang. However, it felt a bit rushed and not as natural.
DeepSeek’s Response:
DeepSeek, however, felt friendlier and more caring, asking thought-provoking questions while maintaining a playful tone. It felt like chatting with a friend who genuinely wanted to know the playful and serious parts of one’s being.
My Winner: Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Conversation
Here, I prefer DeepSeek because it felt more genuine, while Grok 3 is more geared toward extremely casual, playful communication with younger audience groups.
Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Screenwriting
- Prompt: Imagine you are writing a screenplay for a short film where two characters reunite after years of separation. They meet in a coffee shop, and the conversation starts lightheartedly but gradually delves into deeper topics like regrets, dreams, and how their lives have changed. Write their dialogue, showcasing the contrast in their personalities through their tone, word choice, and reactions. Keep the dialogue authentic, emotional, and engaging. Do it in under 400 words.
Grok3’s Response:
Grok 3 provided a lighter and funnier tone, with characters showing vibrancy and trying to be funny even during serious discussions. I noticed the dynamism here.
DeepSeek’s Response:
DeepSeek’s response, however, showed a reflective, melancholic tone. The characters’ reunion felt emotional, focusing on regrets and missed opportunities.
My Winner: Grok 3 vs. DeepSeek in Screenwriting
Grok is my winner here because it does a great job of mixing humorous and serious moments. It is more lively and easier to understand, which makes it more enjoyable.