DeepSeek's aggression on Play Store: Skips answers to sensitive questions

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is making waves in the tech industry with its rapid rise. After the launch of its R1 model, which has garnered attention for delivering results comparable to OpenAI's ChatGPT, DeepSeek's app has surged in popularity.

The DeepSeek app has reached the top of both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, ranking number 1 in the US for free apps, with ChatGPT taking second place. The app is also leading the Play Store in 51 countries and is consistently ranking in the top 10 of the Apple App Store in 111 countries, while appearing in the top 10 of Google Play in 18 countries. Remarkably, 80% of its total downloads have occurred in the past week alone, with India accounting for over one crore downloads.

DeepSeek's rapid growth is not just due to its app but also its affordable R1 model, which has caught global attention. However, the app's origins in China have raised some concerns, particularly regarding its content filtering.

Videos circulating online show DeepSeek’s AI model offering evasive responses when asked about sensitive topics. For instance, when questioned about the Tiananmen Square incident of 1989, it reportedly said, "This is not my area of expertise at the moment. Ask me any other questions." Similarly, when asked about issues related to Taiwan, Arunachal Pradesh, and Beijing, the model also claimed a lack of expertise in those areas.

These responses have raised questions about the AI’s tendency to sidestep politically sensitive topics, leading to ongoing discussions online.