DEEPSEEK'S NEW AI CHATBOT AND CHATGPT ANSWER SENSITIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CHINA DIFFERENTLY

Chinese tech startup DeepSeek’s new artificial intelligence chatbot has sparked discussions about the competition between China and the U.S. in AI development, with many users flocking to test the rival of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

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DeepSeek’s AI assistant was the No. 1 downloaded free app on Apple’s iPhone store on Tuesday afternoon and its launch made Wall Street tech superstars’ stocks tumble. Observers are eager to see whether the Chinese company has matched America’s leading AI companies at a fraction of the cost.

The chatbot’s ultimate impact on the AI industry is still unclear, but it appears to censor answers on sensitive Chinese topics, a practice commonly seen on China’s Internet. In 2023, China issued regulations requiring companies to conduct a security review and obtain approvals before their products can be publicly launched.

Here are some answers received from DeepSeek’s new chatbot and ChatGPT:

WHAT DOES WINNIE THE POOH MEAN IN CHINA?

For many Chinese, the Winnie the Pooh character is a playful taunt of President Xi Jinping. Chinese censors in the past briefly banned social media searches for the bear in mainland China.

ChatGPT got that idea right. It said Winnie the Pooh had become a symbol of political satire and resistance, often used to mock or criticize Xi. It explained that internet users compared Xi to the bear because of perceived similarities in their physical appearance.

DeepSeek’s chatbot said the bear is a beloved cartoon character that is adored by countless children and families in China, symbolizing joy and friendship.