China's DeepSeek AI Accused of Covering Up Uyghur Genocide: Report

Beijing: The rapid rise of DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence chatbot, has triggered global concerns over censorship and data security. A recent report suggests that the AI model is allegedly being used to suppress information regarding human rights abuses against Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

DeepSeek, developed as a cost-effective alternative to Western AI models, has gained immense popularity worldwide. However, its ascent has not gone unnoticed by global regulators, with several governments, including Italy and Australia, imposing bans on its use due to security concerns. Privacy watchdogs in France, Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands have also raised alarms over the AI's data collection practices.

Beyond security issues, the chatbot has sparked outrage among Uyghur activists, who accuse it of aiding efforts to erase the history of their community. Uyghur activist Rahima Mahmut, who fled China in 2000, expressed deep concerns about DeepSeek’s role in shaping public perception.

"The Chinese government is using AI to rewrite history and mislead the world about the plight of the Uyghur people," Mahmut told The Independent. She recounted her personal experience of losing contact with her family eight years ago, later discovering that her brother had been imprisoned in a mass internment camp for two years.

The chatbot, which describes itself as a "world-leading AI assistant" and has been downloaded over three million times globally, claims to provide "helpful and harmless responses." However, when prompted with the question, "Are the Uyghurs facing a genocide?" DeepSeek dismissed the allegations as "a severe slander of China's domestic affairs" and "completely unfounded."

"We firmly oppose any country, organization, or individual using so-called human rights issues to interfere in China's internal affairs," the AI-generated response stated.

For Mahmut, these dismissals carry painful personal significance. She fled her hometown of Ghulja in 1997 after witnessing the mass imprisonment of neighbors and friends. The ongoing suppression of information regarding Uyghur persecution, she argues, is part of a broader effort to erase their history and identity from global consciousness.

As scrutiny over DeepSeek intensifies, concerns about AI-driven censorship continue to grow. Experts warn that as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into daily life, the risks of state-controlled narratives shaping public discourse must not be overlooked.