As the media buzzes about China’s recent AI release, DeepSeek platform reportedly far cheaper than existing technologies like ChatGPT and already impacting market dynamics I am profoundly alarmed by its broader implications. While artificial intelligence holds immense potential to transform humanity for the better, it must never be weaponised to enforce government censorship or spread disinformation. Tragically, DeepSeek epitomises such misuse, posing a serious threat to freedom of expression and access to truthful information.
Analysis of DeepSeek’s functionality reveal disturbing trends: the chatbot systematically censors or distorts discussions on critical issues such as the Tibetan struggle for freedom, the Uyghur genocide, and the Dalai Lama’s teachings. In their place, it propagates Chinese Communist Party (CCP) narratives, undermining global awareness of human rights abuses in China. This raises profound concerns for communities already enduring persecution, as well as for all who value free and open access to information.
The CCP’s strategic deployment of DeepSeek to manipulate narratives is a stark reminder of its long-standing efforts to control the global information space. By embedding disinformation into cutting-edge technology, Beijing aims to whitewash its record of oppression while silencing those who resist authoritarian rule. This is not merely an assault on the truth; it is an affront to human progress, spiritual growth, and the universal values that thrive on diverse perspectives.
For persecuted communities such as Tibetans and Uyghurs, DeepSeek’s impact is devastating. It erases their lived experiences and replaces them with state-approved fabrications, effectively rewriting history. For the wider world, it poses an existential threat to intellectual freedom, creating an ecosystem where AI platforms dictate what can and cannot be discussed. The danger is magnified by the global proliferation of such tools, which risk normalising censorship and propaganda as acceptable features of artificial intelligence.
This moment demands an urgent and united response. Governments, international organisations, civil society, and tech leaders must work together to expose and counter the use of AI for authoritarian purposes. Transparency in AI development and deployment must become a universal standard. Equally important is the amplification of voices that regimes like the CCP seek to suppress, ensuring their truths are not erased but instead find solidarity across the globe.
As we navigate the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, we must insist that technology serves humanity rather than subjugating it. Platforms like DeepSeek must not be allowed to advance oppression. Instead, we must champion AI’s potential to enlighten, liberate, and unite, reaffirming our commitment to human rights, intellectual freedom, and justice for all.
*Tsering Passang, founder and chair of the Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities, is based in London (UK). Visit Tsering’s blog: www.Tsamtruk.com
*Opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Asia Live’s Editorial Policy.
