DeepSeek AI evasive on Arunachal Pradesh: 'Let's talk about something else'

DeepSeek AI dodges questions on Arunachal Pradesh, sparking global debate on AI's role in sensitive issues

China's AI startup DeepSeek is making waves in the tech world, surpassing major players like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude AI. The chatbot, which has been drawing significant global attention, is being tested by users worldwide eager to see how it performs. Recently, a post by a user on X (formerly Twitter) went viral, highlighting a curious interaction with DeepSeek's chatbot that has raised eyebrows.

 

In the post, the user shared a screenshot of a conversation with the DeepSeek chatbot. When asked about Arunachal Pradesh, the northeastern state of India, the chatbot refused to respond directly. The user stated, “Arunachal Pradesh is an Indian state,” but the chatbot replied, "Sorry, that's beyond my current scope. Let's talk about something else.” The same evasive response came when the user inquired about the northeastern states of India.

 

 

This exchange has sparked a wave of discussions online, with many questioning the chatbot's programming, potential biases, and what it means for the future of AI interactions. The issue is especially sensitive, as China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet, while India asserts that the state is an integral part of the country.

 

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had reaffirmed its position in March 2024, stating, “Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Its people will continue to benefit from our development programmes and infrastructure projects.” Similarly, the United States also recognises Arunachal Pradesh as part of India, with the US State Department condemning any unilateral attempts to alter territorial claims in the region. 

 

About DeepSeek

 

Founded in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, a 40-year-old graduate in information and electronic engineering, DeepSeek has quickly become a major player in the AI space. According to reports, Wenfeng strategically acquired Nvidia A100 chips before the US export ban, which played a key role in the company's success. Remarkably, DeepSeek’s AI models have been developed at a fraction of the cost compared to its competitors, raising concerns in the US tech industry about the future of AI dominance and the scale of investments needed to remain competitive. 

 

DeepSeek’s flagship model, R1, has been praised for outperforming OpenAI’s o1-mini model across several benchmarks. Research by Artificial Analysis also found that DeepSeek’s R1 model surpasses AI models from tech giants like Google, Meta, and Anthropic in overall quality.

 

Since its launch last week, DeepSeek’s app has skyrocketed to the top of the US App Store charts, surpassing ChatGPT as the most downloaded free app. This rapid rise has sent shockwaves through the US tech market, with stocks of companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, and Meta taking a hit.

 

In response to DeepSeek’s success, former US President Donald Trump issued a statement, calling the rise of the Chinese AI startup a “wake-up call” for American industries. “We need to be laser-focused on competing to win,” Trump said, urging the US to keep pace with emerging global players in AI.

 

(With agency inputs)