Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has announced a temporary limitation on new user registrations for its DeepSeek-V3 platform, due a large-scale cyberattack targeting its services.
Despite the setback, the company has assured that existing users will retain access.
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This move comes as DeepSeek experiences a surge in popularity, positioning itself as a competitor to established AI tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google‘s Gemini.
The startup faced website outages earlier on the same day, coinciding with its AI assistant becoming the top-rated free application on the US Apple App Store.
“Due to large-scale malicious attacks on DeepSeek’s services, we are temporarily limiting registrations to ensure continued service,” the company said on its status page.
“Existing users can log in as usual. Thanks for your understanding and support,” the company added.
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By GlobalDataThese disruptions, marking the longest in approximately 90 days, occurred amidst the company’s escalating popularity.
Earlier in January 2025, DeepSeek launched an AI assistant that reportedly requires less data and operates at a lower cost compared to existing AI models.
DeepSeek said that its DeepSeek-V3 platform “tops the leaderboard among open-source models and rivals the most advanced closed-source models globally”.
AI models, from ChatGPT to DeepSeek, rely on sophisticated chips for training.
Since 2021, the US administration has expanded bans on exporting such chips to China to prevent their use in training AI models for Chinese firms.
However, DeepSeek researchers indicated in a recent paper that their DeepSeek-V3 model utilised NVIDIA‘s H800 chips for training, with their expenditure levels below $6m.
The markets responded dramatically on 27 January 2025, with tech stocks falling amid speculation that DeepSeek could deflate the AI bubble.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised DeepSeek’s R1 AI model “impressive” but highlighted that OpenAI’s success was driven by greater computing power, reported Reuters.
Altman said on X: “Deepseek’s r1 is an impressive model, particularly around what they’re able to deliver for the price.
“We will obviously deliver much better models and also it’s legit invigorating to have a new competitor! we will pull up some releases.”
