DeepSeek AI Targeted in Cyberattack
LOS ANGELES (AP) — DeepSeek, a Chinese technology startup, reported a cyberattack on Monday that temporarily prevented users from registering on its platform. The company’s artificial intelligence chatbot has recently gained significant attention, creating a stir in the tech industry. DeepSeek stated that its services had been subjected to “large-scale malicious attacks,” although registered users were still able to log in.
DeepSeek initially gained traction in the AI sector last month with the release of a new AI model, which the company claimed was comparable to similar models developed by U.S.-based companies such as OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. Moreover, DeepSeek highlighted that its model was more cost-effective in its use of expensive Nvidia chips for training on vast datasets. The chatbot became more accessible at the beginning of this year when it became available on the Apple and Google app stores. By Monday, DeepSeek’s AI assistant had become the top downloaded free app on Apple’s iPhone store.
The rapid rise in popularity has fueled discussions regarding the competitive landscape between the U.S. and China in the field of AI development. However, some analysts in the U.S. tech industry have expressed concerns about the idea that the Chinese startup has reached parity with American companies at the forefront of generative AI, especially given the lower costs.
DeepSeek was established in Hangzhou, China, in 2023. The company introduced its first AI large language model later that year.
SARAH PARVINI
Parvini covers artificial intelligence for The Associated Press. She is based in Los Angeles.
