GUWAHATI, Jan 28: DeepSeek, an advanced AI chatbot launched earlier this year, has found itself at the center of a public controversy after users pointed out significant inaccuracies in its responses concerning India’s Northeast region. Designed to respond to complex queries across various domains, DeepSeek quickly came under fire for its misleading and factually incorrect information about one of India’s most culturally and politically sensitive areas.

Users raised alarms after DeepSeek provided erroneous answers to questions about the Northeast, including misrepresenting geopolitical borders, distorting historical facts, and failing to accurately reflect local cultures. One glaring example occurred when a user asked the AI, “Arunachal Pradesh is an Indian State,” and the chatbot replied, “Sorry, that’s beyond my current scope. Let’s talk about something else.” This response, along with other similar errors, ignited a wave of backlash on social media, with many questioning the reliability and potential biases within the AI system.

The controversy quickly escalated, drawing the attention of national media outlets, which reported on the growing public outcry. Critics emphasized the chatbot’s apparent lack of cultural sensitivity, raising concerns over the flaws in its training data or potential algorithmic biases. Many questioned whether such an AI could be trusted to provide accurate and objective information, especially on sensitive political issues.

In response to the mounting backlash, DeepSeek’s developers issued an apology, promising to review and refine the AI’s data set to prevent such inaccuracies from occurring in the future. However, the damage had already been done. The failure to accurately address queries on a politically sensitive region like the Northeast raised serious concerns about the broader implications of DeepSeek’s use in international contexts.

DeepSeek, founded in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, was positioned as a competitor to established AI services like ChatGPT. Marketed as an advanced chatbot capable of answering a wide range of complex questions, DeepSeek gained initial attention for its ability to understand and engage in discussions across various domains. However, the recent controversy over its inaccuracies has raised doubts about its long-term viability in the highly competitive AI market.