Fake accounts drove the DeepSeek AI hype and distorted markets
From AI Darling to Disinformation Playbook: How Fake Accounts Managed a Market Frenzy and What DeepSeek’s Hype Teaches Leaders DeepSeek, a new Chinese AI model, stormed app charts and briefly sent shockwaves through global markets. However, our disinformation research team found that much of this excitement was artificial — driven by thousands of fake profiles working in tandem. Their behavior bore the hallmarks of state-linked bot networks, amplifying hype and distorting market perception.