AI-generated images of DeepSeek startup team circulate online
The two images of a group of people were shared in separate X posts on January 28 and February 2, alongside captions claiming they show the young DeepSeek team.
"The average age of the Deepseek team is less than 35 years old. This group of young people has caused panic in the technology community in the United States," reads the simplified Chinese caption of one of the posts.
DeepSeek's R1 chatbot stunned investors and industry insiders with its ability to match the functions of its Western competitors at a fraction of the cost, though a number of countries have questioned its storage of user data and have moved to ban it from government devices (archived link).
Founded in May 2023, the firm is the brainchild of tech and business prodigy Liang Wenfeng, who was born in 1985 (archived link).
In an interview with a Chinese tech media 36kr in May 2023, Liang said the core technical positions of the company "are essentially filled with freshmen and people who graduated a year or two ago" (archived link).
The images were also viewed tens of thousands of times elsewhere on X and Facebook.
However, they contain inconsistencies that indicate they were generated with AI tools.
AFP ran the images through the Verification Plugin, also known as InVID-WeVerify tool, from AFP partner veraai.eu. The tool can identify traces left by AI image generation software.
The results indicate a 99 percent chance the first image was created with a faceswap algorithm, while it was 100 percent likely the second image was "manipulated through face swapping".
The two images contained inconsistencies indicating they were AI-generated, said Shu Hu, director of the Purdue Machine Learning and Media Forensics (M2) Lab (archived link). He pointed out blurry ears and a lack of details in teeth and pupils in both images.
Siwei Lyu, director of the University at Buffalo's Media Forensic Lab (UB MDFL) also pointed out a "noticeable colour difference" on one face, an unnaturally long neck and some identical eyes and mouths of the people in the images (archived link).
"Everyone's smile in the images is unnaturally uniform, resembling the stereotypical smile learned by an AI model," Lyu told AFP. "Their teeth are showing [in the images] at nearly the same angle, which is unusual for real photos."
In addition to the blurry rendering of ears, the second image also features irregular "text" on the uniforms, as well as an erroneous DeepSeek logo in the background. The company's genuine logo is a whale.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
These 2 AI Stocks Give You Access to China's ‘New AI Tiger' MiniMax
Chinese AI startup MiniMax is emerging as a formidable competitor to DeepSeek, having recently launched breakthrough products, including the M1 reasoning model, which uses less than half the computing power of DeepSeek-R1. The Shanghai-based company, valued at $2.5 billion in its March 2024 funding round, is preparing for a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) as early as this year. MiniMax represents one of China's 'four new AI tigers' competing against Western giants, such as OpenAI. The company's latest innovations include the Hailuo 02 video generator and MiniMax Agent, which indicate it is poised to gain traction in the generative AI space. Dear Tesla Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for June 30 The 'Golden Era' for Tesla Starts June 22. Should You Buy TSLA Stock First? Nvidia Is Quickly Approaching a New Record High. Is It Too Late to Buy NVDA Stock? Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines. Investors can gain exposure to MiniMax through two major stakeholders: Alibaba (BABA) and Tencent (TCEHY), both of which are strategic investors in the startup. This provides retail investors with indirect access to one of China's most promising AI companies, without requiring them to wait for the IPO. However, industry experts warn that these so-called AI tigers face sustainability challenges, with most still burning cash while seeking viable profit models beyond free trials and limited enterprise customization. Valued at a market capitalization of $593 billion, Tencent is one of the largest companies in China. In Q1, it reported revenue of $25.1 billion, a 13% year-over-year increase, while net income grew 22% to $8.5 billion. The technology giant's gross profit exceeded $14 billion for the first time, demonstrating strong operational leverage across its diversified business portfolio. Tencent's strategic AI investments are already generating tangible returns across multiple segments. Marketing services revenue accelerated 20% year-over-year, benefiting from AI-powered advertising improvements that enhanced click-through rates from historical 1% levels to 3% in certain inventories. Domestic Games achieved exceptional 24% growth, with flagship titles like Honor of Kings and Peacekeeper Elite reaching record quarterly revenues, supported by AI-enhanced user engagement and content optimization. Tencent's Weixin ecosystem, serving 1.4 billion monthly active users, is becoming the centerpiece of its AI strategy. The tech giant has integrated the Yuanbao AI assistant directly into Weixin chats, enabling context-aware responses and content discovery. Weixin Search now incorporates large language model results, while AI-powered tools help content creators generate images and video effects, significantly reducing the time required for Mini Program development. The gaming portfolio demonstrated remarkable strength, with Delta Force achieving 12 million peak daily active users and becoming the highest-ranked new mobile game released in China over the past three years. International games grew 23% year-over-year, driven by titles including PUBG Mobile and Brawl Stars. Management emphasized that current AI investments represent a long-term value creation strategy, with CEO Pony Ma noting that while near-term costs may temporarily narrow operating leverage, these investments will generate 'substantial incremental returns' over the longer term. Tencent increased capital expenditures by 91% year-over-year to $3.8 billion, primarily for investments in GPUs and servers to enhance its AI capabilities. Out of the 16 analysts covering Tencent stock, 13 recommend 'Strong Buy,' two recommend 'Moderate Buy,' and one recommends 'Hold.' The average target price for Tencent stock is $90, roughly 41% above the current price of $64. In fiscal Q4 2025 (ended in March), Alibaba grew its sales by 7% year over year to $32.6 billion. A focus on operational efficiency allowed the e-commerce giant to increase adjusted EBITDA by 36% to $4.6 billion. Alibaba's AI and cloud computing initiatives are driving momentum. Alibaba Cloud achieved accelerated 18% revenue growth, powered by sustained triple-digit growth in AI-related products for the seventh consecutive quarter. Management highlighted the expansion of AI adoption beyond large enterprises to small and medium-sized businesses, with new customers migrating from traditional offline infrastructure to cloud-based AI services across various sectors, including manufacturing, financial services, and even animal farming. E-commerce operations showed strong user engagement, with Taobao and Tmall Group's customer management revenue growing 12% year-over-year, driven by improved monetization through the Quanzhantui advertising platform and new software service fees. The platform's premium 88VIP membership exceeded 50 million users, demonstrating growing customer loyalty and spending power. International expansion accelerated through Alibaba International Digital Commerce (AIDC), which achieved 22% revenue growth driven by robust cross-border business performance. It remains on track to achieve quarterly profitability in its international e-commerce operations. Alibaba strengthened its balance sheet by divesting non-core assets, generating $2.6 billion in cash proceeds. The company returned $16.5 billion to shareholders through $11.9 billion in share repurchases and $4.6 billion in dividends, including a 5% increase in annual dividends. With a strong $50.5 billion net cash position, Alibaba is well-positioned to capitalize on AI opportunities while maintaining its commitment to shareholder returns. Out of the 20 analysts covering BABA stock, 19 recommend 'Strong Buy' and one recommends 'Moderate Buy.' The average target price for BABA stock is $162, 44% above the current price. On the date of publication, Aditya Raghunath did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
New York Post
7 hours ago
- New York Post
Deadly Russian assaults on Ukraine continue as date for new peace talks nears
At least one person was killed in Ukraine Friday night as Russia continued its unrelenting attacks, despite both parties reportedly inching closer to a new round of peace talks. A barrage of more than 20 Russian drones rained down on residential areas in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa and the northeastern city of Kharkiv overnight, according to officials. One civilian was killed and almost two dozen were injured, including two girls — 12 and 17-years-old — and three emergency workers. The strikes sparked fires that caused the partial collapse of a four-story apartment building and tore through the upper floors of a 23-story high-rise, leading to the evacuation of about 600 residents. Advertisement 4 Firefighters evacuated residents from a burning apartment building following Russia's massive air attack in Odesa. AP The Kremlin's attack also included 86 Iranian Shahed and decoy drones blasted across the country into Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on Telegram. 'Russia continues its tactics of targeted terror against our people,' Zelensky said in the post. Advertisement He called on Western countries to keep the pressure on Russia, including through sanctions. 'The sooner the sick people in the Kremlin lose the ability to finance the war, the more lives we can save in Ukraine,' Zelensky said. 4 Emergency responders worked at the site of an apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike in Odesa. via REUTERS In the 24 hours leading up to the nighttime attack, Russia bombarded its neighbor with hundreds more drones and cruise and ballistic missiles, according to Ukraine's air force. Advertisement The attacks followed an assault on Kyiv Tuesday that killed 28 and injured 142 others — marking the deadliest onslaught on the capital city this year. Meanwhile, the warring countries completed another round of prisoner exchanges on Friday, the second trade of POWs and soldiers' remains in two days, though neither side specified how many people were involved in the swap. 4 A kitchen in a high-rise apartment building was destroyed in a Russian drone attack in Odesa. AFP via Getty Images Zelensky said on X that most of his country's POWs had been held by Russia for more than two years, following their full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Advertisement The oldest of the released captives was 63 years old and another, a 45-year-old service member, was released on his birthday, Ukrainian negotiator Dmytro Lubinets said. Zelensky also charged Russian President Vladimir Putin with using the return of the dead to obscure the scale of its military losses from the public, the Kyiv Independent reported. 4 Residential buildings, businesses, civilian infrastructure and cars were wrecked in the overnight attacks, officials said. AFP via Getty Images At a press conference Friday, Zelensky said authorities confirmed that at least 20 of the bodies returned as Ukrainians were actually Russian soldiers. The two countries have carried out a series of swaps since renewing peace talks, which in Istanbul last month. The last negotiations were held on June 2 and though Kyiv has not spoken recently of them resuming, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that the date for the next round is expected to be agreed upon this coming week. With Post wires
The Hill
10 hours ago
- The Hill
A swarm at sea: Supplying troops with on-demand autonomous watercraft
In any drawn-out military confrontation, the U.S. must support its ground forces with food, fuel, ammunition and weapons. In a conflict with China over Taiwan, however, that material will be coming from as far away as the Philippines and Japan. That means relying on the large, mostly unarmed, civilian-crewed ships, such as those operated by the Military Sealift Command, which are highly visible and vulnerable to attack. Military Sealift Command ships could be overwhelmed by the numerically superior and militarized Chinese 'fishing fleet.' A less vulnerable and more scalable method would be to use low-cost, rapidly built, small autonomous surface vessels to deliver supplies. Each could carry one or two standard shipping containers. They could work together in swarms of tens or hundreds, presenting a more dispersed, and therefore, challenging target. Even if a substantial number were to be attacked, damaged or sunk, it is unlikely that the adversary could destroy the entire logistical supply chain to the front line. This would be a radical departure from traditional logistics supply using large manned cargo ships. Spreading cargo between many smaller watercraft almost eliminates the risk that all supplies would be lost to an attack. Water-line hugging vessels present a far smaller signature for detection. Unmanned vessels would reduce the risk of human casualties and mitigate the acute civilian workforce shortages at the Military Sealift Command. Such software-driven ships would allow rapid updates to adapt to changing conditions to evade enemies or inclement weather. Such small watercraft also don't require a port; they could arrive almost anywhere, bringing materiel closer to the fight. They might even deliver supplies just-in-time, loitering near conflict zones as an offshore warehouse. Importantly, a fleet of such small ships could be manufactured quickly in the United States. Adaptive manufacturing techniques like 3D printing could ramp up production in the event of a conflict, while being able to ramp down in its aftermath. This type of autonomous vessel could provide the U.S. with advanced logistics difficult for adversaries to counter. But like any new concept, it faces risks and constraints. Open-ocean operation and the potential of disrupted or blocked communication or hacking means that each vessel has to be capable of independently accomplishing its mission. In the best of cases, autonomous operation allows coordination and collective control, but it will certainly pose technological challenges in development, testing and validation. Offloading cargo without a crew or port is another major hurdle. But if the Pentagon committed to distributed logistics delivery, that would likely lead to technological advancements to solve this knotted last-mile problem. Military planners must also consider the maritime laws and regulations of U.S. allies and partners, including rights of way and environmental impacts inside territorial waters. This could demand significant and urgent diplomatic efforts in a time of conflict, although that might be mitigated if that nation itself is under threat from the adversary. In international waters, the jurisdiction and regulation shifts primarily to the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations agency that developed the maritime shipping 'rules of the road.' These rules will need to be modified if swarms of autonomous vessels are to operate legally in the open seas. These aren't negligible issues. However, similar challenges have been overcome in recent years, including those dealing with the building, testing, verifying and deploying the complex software for the U.S. Navy's Aegis command/control system and the software for the F-35 fighter aircraft. In the end, sustaining warfighting in a chain of Indo-Pacific islands against a potent adversary offers few traditional choices. The challenge requires clear thinking about new methods of supply delivery that are robust, scalable and resilient. Kanna Rajan is a senior scientist at RAND, whose multidisciplinary research spans artificial intelligence, ocean science and robotics. Karlyn Stanley is a senior policy researcher at RAND and a subject matter expert on the legal and policy dimensions of autonomous vehicles.
