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Updated 09:14 IST, January 28th 2025

DeepSeek Hit with Massive Cyber Attack After AI Chatbot Tops App Stores, Limits Registrations

DeepSeek has been making waves in the AI industry since last month after unveiling an advanced AI model.

Reported by: Digital Desk
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DeepSeek Hit With Massive Cyber Attack After AI Chatbot Tops App Stores, Limits Registrations | Image: Shutterstock

New Delhi: Chinese tech startup DeepSeek on Monday revealed that it was hit by a massive cyber attack, disrupting user registrations on its platform. The attack coincided with the day the company’s AI app became the most downloaded free app on Apple ’s iPhone store.  

In a statement, DeepSeek said it suffered "large-scale malicious attacks" on its services. While existing users could log in without any issues, new users were unable to register.  

DeepSeek has been making waves in the AI industry since last month after unveiling an advanced AI model. The company claims its model rivals US counterparts, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, while being more cost-efficient due to optimized use of Nvidia chips for training on massive data sets.  

DeepSeek Becomes No. 1 Downloaded Free App on Apple's Iphone Store

The chatbot gained more visibility earlier this year after being listed on Apple and Google app stores. By Monday, it had climbed to the top of Apple's free app downloads chart, sparking debates about competition between China and the US in the AI sector.  

DeepSeek’s rapid rise has raised concerns among US tech experts, who fear that the Chinese startup may be catching up with American leaders in generative AI technology, and that too at a significantly lower cost.  

Founded in 2023 in Hangzhou, China, DeepSeek launched its first large language AI model the same year. Its latest AI assistant has now positioned the company as a key player in the global AI landscape, further intensifying the AI race between the US and China.  

The cyber attack and its implications have brought fresh attention to the challenges faced by AI startups, especially those competing in the high-stakes global technology sector.

(With Inputs from AP)  

Published 07:29 IST, January 28th 2025