Jan 30, 2025
Chinese state-linked accounts hyped DeepSeek AI launch ahead of US stock rout, Graphika says
Chinese state-linked social media accounts amplified narratives celebrating the launch of Chinese startup DeepSeek's AI models last week, days before the news tanked U.S. tech stocks, according to online analysis firm Graphika. The accounts involved in the effort, including those of Chinese diplomats, embassies and state media, amplified media coverage of the launch and promoted the idea that DeepSeek challenged U.S. dominance in the AI sector, New York-based Graphika said in a report it provided to Reuters on Thursday. The messaging was rolled out on platforms such as Elon Musk's X and Meta Platforms' Facebook and Instagram, as well as Chinese services Toutiao and Weibo, Graphika said.