DeepSeek has introduced new “instant” and “expert” modes to its chatbot, the most significant update to its user interface since the Hangzhou-based start-up gained global recognition.

The changes come ahead of the much-anticipated release of DeepSeek’s next-generation flagship model V4 this month, more than a year after its R1 version made it a household name.

On Tuesday, the company added the two modes to its website and mobile app, giving users the choice of settings. Instant mode was designed for quick replies during “daily conversations”, while expert mode was intended for those with “complex problems” though it also warned that the service could be “busy at peak times”.

Artificial intelligence chatbots including Google’s Gemini and ByteDance’s Doubao also allow users to choose different usage modes to suit their needs.

Expert modes generally deliver higher-quality responses, though they are more computationally demanding.

The South China Morning Post on Wednesday tested the instant and expert modes. Asked to create a JavaScript animation of falling letters with realistic physics, the instant mode produced code in over a minute that followed the instruction, while the expert mode took around 40 seconds to generate code that failed to meet the instruction.