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As DeepSeek knock-offs flourish, China curbs false trademarks capitalising on AI hype
China rejects dozens of trademark applications for the name DeepSeek, as Hong Kong sees questionable companies bearing the start-up’s name
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Chinese authorities have blocked dozens of trademark applications filed with the name DeepSeek, as the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up faces a flurry of attempts, some possibly in Hong Kong, to take advantage of its global popularity.
China’s National Intellectual Property Administration said in a statement on Tuesday that it had rejected 63 trademark applications containing the name DeepSeek. These companies and individuals showed a clear intention to exploit the hype around the start-up’s AI models and to seek improper gains, the administration said.
Hangzhou-based DeepSeek stunned the world with its high-performance open-source large language models released in recent months, said to be developed at a fraction of the typical cost.
The company, which maintains a low profile despite garnering worldwide recognition, has since doubled down on its commitment to open-source technology and published more of its research and projects to the public, drawing applause from developer communities.
However, the popularity of DeepSeek’s models has also drawn increased scrutiny of the company, as well as potential trademark disputes.
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