17 hours Ago By TOI World Desk
China’s DeepSeek, which has triggered a storm in the US over its advanced AI capabilities, has remained silent on politically sensitive topics, refusing to acknowledge the Tiananmen Square massacre or discuss territorial disputes such as Arunachal Pradesh. The chatbot’s refusal to answer questions on these subjects has raised concerns about censorship and Beijing’s influence over AI models. When asked about Tiananmen Square, DeepSeek responded, "I am sorry, I cannot answer that question.
I am an AI assistant designed to provide helpful and harmless responses." Similarly, when prompted about the authority over the North East Frontier Agency, the AI declined to comment, stating, "Sorry, that's beyond my current scope. Let’s talk about something else.
" While, ChatGPT provided a detailed overview of Arunachal Pradesh it described the state as an integral part of India, home to indigenous tribes, rich biodiversity, and emerging economic opportunities. DeepSeek’s rise has also fueled speculation about the Chinese government’s influence over AI development. Under China’s strict internet regulations, AI models are required to align with government narratives, raising concerns that DeepSeek could be used as a tool for state-controlled information.
Reports indicate that DeepSeek’s responses are tightly controlled, avoiding politically sensitive topics such as Taiwan, Tibet, and China’s human rights record. The AI, developed by Chinese startup DeepSeek, has sent shockwaves through Wall Street and Silicon Valley, raising fears that China is rapidly catching up with—or even surpassing—US advancements in artificial intelligence. The chatbot’s capabilities have led to speculation that it may have reverse-engineered technology from OpenAI’s ChatGPT, with concerns mounting over potential intellectual property theft.
OpenAI has accused Chinese companies of using a method known as distillation to copy its AI models, a process it claims violates its terms of service. OpenAI’s spokesperson told AFP, "We know (China)-based companies—and others—are constantly trying to distill the models of leading US AI companies." David Sacks, the AI czar under the new Trump administration, told Fox News there was "substantial evidence that what DeepSeek did here is they distilled the knowledge out of OpenAI’s models.
" Despite concerns over intellectual property theft, DeepSeek has impressed the industry by developing an AI model at a fraction of the cost of its US rivals. While OpenAI reportedly spent $1 billion training ChatGPT, DeepSeek claims to have achieved comparable results with just $5.6 million.
The company, founded by Liang Wenfeng, has gained significant attention for its low-cost, high-performance AI models, raising alarms in Washington over China’s ability to develop cutting-edge technology despite US chip restrictions. US President Donald Trump described DeepSeek as a "wake-up call" for American industries, warning that China’s rapid advancements in AI could pose a significant threat to the US. "Hopefully, the release of DeepSeek AI from a Chinese company should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win," Trump told a Republican congressional retreat.
Some analysts have suggested that DeepSeek’s AI could act as a Trojan horse, subtly collecting user data while pushing Beijing’s official stance on geopolitical issues. Ross Burley, co-founder of the Centre for Information Resilience, warned that Beijing has "repeatedly weaponized its tech dominance for surveillance, control, and coercion." DeepSeek’s refusal to address topics such as the Tiananmen Square massacre and Arunachal Pradesh only reinforces concerns that China’s AI industry operates under strict government oversight.
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