Chinese social media boosts DeepSeek AI launch
The new AI model stirs global tensions and intensifies US-China tech rivalry.

Chinese state-backed social media accounts played a key role in amplifying the launch of DeepSeek’s AI models last week, according to an analysis by the firm Graphika. These accounts, including those of Chinese diplomats and media outlets, used platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and Weibo to highlight DeepSeek’s challenge to US dominance in the AI sector. This online activity coincided with a significant drop in US tech stocks, including a record one-day loss for Nvidia, shedding $593 billion in market value.
Graphika’s report suggested that this was part of a broader strategy by China to use AI to enhance its global influence and counter American leadership in critical technological fields. The surge in online discussion about DeepSeek’s AI capabilities was noticeable, especially on X, where it surpassed US rival ChatGPT in downloads from Apple’s app store shortly after its release. DeepSeek’s AI assistant also claimed to have been developed at a much lower cost than US competitors, raising concerns about a potential price war in the sector.
While China celebrates DeepSeek’s advancements as a victory over US efforts to limit its tech growth, the US has raised suspicions about whether the company improperly accessed American technology. The Commerce Department is investigating whether DeepSeek used banned US chips in its models, further intensifying tensions between the two countries over AI and tech competition. Meanwhile, major US companies like Microsoft and Meta continue their AI investments despite the challenges.