Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which recently surpassed OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the most downloaded app on the App Store, has reported falling victim to a large-scale cyberattack. The company, founded in Hangzhou in 2023, has temporarily restricted new user registrations due to technical issues caused by the attack. This comes at a time when DeepSeek’s generative AI chatbot has been making waves globally, offering capabilities that rival those of OpenAI’s models while using significantly less computing power.
DeepSeek’s rise to prominence has been meteoric. Its chatbot, which formulates its reasoning before providing answers, has been praised for its efficiency and performance. The company claims its R1 version matches the capabilities of OpenAI’s latest models and has even licensed the technology to developers looking to build their own chatbots. However, this success has now been marred by the cyberattack, which has disrupted services and raised concerns about the security of AI platforms.
The attack has not only impacted DeepSeek’s ability to onboard new users but also highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by tech companies in an increasingly competitive and hostile digital landscape. While the perpetrators remain unidentified, the incident underscores the growing risks associated with the rapid expansion of AI technologies.
Key Facts About DeepSeek
- Founded in Hangzhou, China, in 2023
- Released its first large-scale AI language model in 2023
- Overtook ChatGPT as the most downloaded app on the App Store
- Claims its R1 model matches OpenAI’s latest capabilities
- Uses significantly less computing power than Western competitors