The competition between China and the United States is evident in all fields: economy, military strategy, politics, and technology. China aims to surpass the U.S. as a superpower, while the United States strives to maintain its global dominance. A prime example of this rivalry is seen in Deepfake and DeepSeek technologies. While the United States advances with Deepfake technology, China is developing DeepSeek. Deepfake has become a growing concern for the public due to its harmful uses, and America is working to suppress China's progress in this sector.
DeepSeek, created by Chinese technologist Liang Wenfeng, has gained attention for being the most downloaded free app on Apple's App Store in a short time. Developed for just 6 million dollars, DeepSeek has surpassed Deepfake in popularity. It is cost-effective and more efficient, even challenging major players like Google and OpenAI. By reducing the reliance on expensive chips, DeepSeek demonstrates that success in AI is possible without a large budget or top-tier hardware. Analysts suggest that DeepSeek's rise marks a shift in AI technology and the market.
Although the United States may not be overly concerned about DeepSeek, it cannot deny that China is advancing in this race. Artificial intelligence technologies like Deepfake and DeepSeek have been exploited for cyberbullying and cybercrime, prompting many countries to either restrict or ban these technologies. Australia, South Korea, and Taiwan have already imposed bans on DeepSeek, citing security risks due to data collection and the potential for misuse by foreign governments.
While technological innovation has made life easier, it has also brought about complications and threats, especially with the rise of AI technologies. Deepfake and DeepSeek manipulate audio, video, and images to create realistic yet fake content, which has been widely used for malicious purposes, particularly in online harassment. Women, in particular, have been frequent victims of Deepfake technology, with fake adult videos being spread online using their faces.
The U.S. has long held dominance in the tech sector, but China's rapid progress challenges this position. The competition between the two countries, especially in artificial intelligence, is intensifying. DeepSeek's success signals that China is now a major contender, creating a new phase in the ongoing technology race. With the growing accessibility of technology, it remains to be seen whether DeepSeek will spark a new phase in the global technology war.
The writer is an Essayist
