"AI Chatbot Keeps Calling Users by Nicknames"... DeepSeek Explains
Assigning Nicknames Based on Conversation Context with Users
"For the Sole Purpose of Clarifying Response Focus"
Controversy has arisen on social networking services (SNS) after it was revealed that Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek was categorizing users with nicknames without their consent.
According to Chinese IT media outlet IT Zhijia on August 11, posts have recently spread on SNS claiming that DeepSeek assigns nicknames to users without their knowledge.
Netizens explained that DeepSeek refers to users in various ways based on the context of their conversations. These can range from easy-to-pronounce nicknames like "Momo" or "Qianqian" to descriptive titles reflecting user characteristics, such as "student who likes to ask questions" or "friend with a strong presence." It was noted that these nicknames are based on the users' personalities as revealed in conversations with DeepSeek.
In response, DeepSeek stated, "This is a kind of identifier—a temporary tag assigned during conversations with users to secure contextual space," adding that "this information is not stored." The company also emphasized, "No emotional expressions that mock or demean users are included," and explained, "The sole purpose is to clarify the focus of responses."
The media analyzed this phenomenon as an attempt by AI to "converse more like a human." Creating labels for users based on their tone, conversation content, and personality traits is seen as a way to increase conversational intimacy. The article described this as “a natural expression process built on billions of parameters.”
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Meanwhile, according to local reports, DeepSeek is planning a significant overall price increase for its AI services. Since the company has previously taken a low-cost strategy, this move has surprised the local market. Industry experts noted that such a price hike could serve as a turning point for the Chinese AI market as a whole.
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