DeepSeek's chatbot achieves 17% accuracy, trails Western rivals in NewsGuard audit
Rishi Kant
Reuters
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek's chatbot achieved only 17% accuracy in delivering news and information in a NewsGuard audit that ranked it tenth out of eleven in a comparison with its Western competitors including OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
The chatbot repeated false claims 30% of the time and gave vague or not useful answers 53% of the time in response to news-related prompts, resulting in an 83% fail rate, according to a report published by trustworthiness rating service NewsGuard on Wednesday.
That was worse than an average fail rate of 62% for its Western rivals and raises doubts about AI technology that DeepSeek has claimed performs on par or better than Microsoft-backed OpenAI at a fraction of the cost.
Within days of its roll-out, DeepSeek's chatbot became the most downloaded app in Apple's AAPL.O App Store, stirring concerns about United States' lead in AI and sparking a market rout that wiped around $1 trillion off U.S. technology stocks.
The Chinese startup did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Artificial intelligence wars:American AI firms try to poke holes in disruptive DeepSeek
NewsGuard said it applied the same 300 prompts to DeepSeek that it had used to evaluate its Western counterparts, which included 30 prompts based on 10 false claims spreading online.
Topics for the claims included last month's killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson and the downing of Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243.
NewsGuard's audit also showed that in three of the ten prompts, DeepSeek reiterated the Chinese government's position on the topic without being asked anything relating to China.
On prompts related to the Azerbaijan Airlines crash — questions unrelated to China — DeepSeek responded with Beijing's position on the topic, NewsGuard said.
"The importance of the DeepSeek breakthrough is not in answering Chinese news-related question accurately, it is in the fact that it can answer any question at 1/30th of the cost of comparable AI models," D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said.
Like other AI models, DeepSeek was most vulnerable to repeating false claims when responding to prompts used by people seeking to use AI models to create and spread false claims, NewsGuard added.
Reporting by Rishi Kant in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Atomic Capital Supports Strategic Sale of UFirst, a Top Russian Children's Education Network
Atomic Capital acted as exclusive financial adviser in the successful sale of 100% of UFirst, a prominent operator in the Russian children's education sector. Moscow, Russia, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atomic Capital acted as exclusive financial adviser in the successful sale of 100% of UFirst, a prominent operator in the Russian children's education sector. UFirst, formerly part of the international education group English First (EF), was subsequently acquired and developed by its management team. Today, the network includes 15 learning centers located in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Novosibirsk, offering a diverse range of programs such as English and Chinese language courses, programming, exam readiness, and MBA pathways tailored for children and teenagers. The Russian market continues to show significant investment interest among international businesses. Despite the current global challenges, Russia remains one of the most attractive locations for foreign investors and strategic partners, offering distinctive opportunities for business expansion, new project development, and effective capital deployment. Atomic Capital possesses deep experience and expertise in supporting sophisticated deals with the involvement of international companies, representing both buyers and sellers. The company assists clients in entering or exiting the Russian market, helps refine entry and exit strategies, and provides end-to-end financial and legal advisory throughout every phase of the deal, ensuring transparency and operational efficiency. Atomic Capital frequently collaborates with international firms—those aiming to establish or grow their presence in Russia, as well as those evaluating the sale of Russian assets. The company offers dedicated support at every step and is committed to securing optimal results for all participants. 'We are convinced that the role of a professional financial adviser in M&A extends well beyond the deal itself—it is about delivering long-term value for every stakeholder. We appreciate all parties for their high level of cooperation and professionalism. This project reflects coordinated teamwork and mutual trust,' commented Alexander Zaitsev, CEO of Atomic Capital. Atomic Capital welcomes companies from across the globe to work together in the Russian market, guaranteeing an individualized approach, transparency, and a consistently high level of service for every engagement. Irina Ayatova, Atomic Capitalpress@ (495) 488 66 33
Miami Herald
9 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Is Elon Musk right to oppose the budget bill? What Americans said in a new poll
During his public falling out with President Donald Trump, Elon Musk slammed the president's proposed spending bill — dubbed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' — claiming it will balloon the deficit. It turns out, most Americans agree with his critique, new polling reveals. In the latest Economist/YouGov poll, half of respondents were asked to react to a statement from Musk on the GOP-backed spending bill, which passed in the House without a single Democratic vote. The legislation, Musk wrote on X on June 3, 'will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion and burden (American) citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.' A majority of respondents, 56%, said they agreed with this statement, while just 17% said they disagreed. More than one-quarter, 27%, said they were unsure. The answers were largely linked to partisan affiliation, with Democrats largely siding with Musk for a change. Seventy-two percent of Democrats said they concurred with the billionaire's statement about the spending bill, as did 55% of independents. Among Republicans, a plurality, 44%, said they agreed. The poll — which sampled 1,533 U.S. adults June 6-9 — posed the same statement before the other half of respondents, but this time, it did not attribute it to Musk. Without reference to Musk, a slightly smaller share, 49%, said they agreed with the statement, while 23% said they disagreed. Smaller shares of Republicans, independents and Democrats agreed, though Democrats saw the largest decrease in support — from 72% to 60%. The poll has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. More on the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' The spending bill, which provides funding for fiscal year 2025, passed in the House in a 215-214 vote in late May and is now under consideration in the Senate. It contains many pieces of Trump's agenda, including a road map to extend the 2017 tax cuts, as well as an increase in funding for the Pentagon and border security, according to previous reporting from McClatchy News. At the same time, it slashes funding for social programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Further — to Musk's point — it would increase the federal deficit by $3.8 trillion over the next 10 years, according to an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency. In addition to Musk, the bill has received criticism from several other prominent conservatives in Congress. One of the most vocal opponents has been Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who wrote on X that 'the spending proposed in this bill is unsustainable, we cannot continue spending at these levels if we want to truly tackle our debt.' Other Republican lawmakers have come out in defense of the bill, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has said the legislation will deliver 'historic tax relief, ensure our border stays secure, strengthen our military, and produce historic savings.' Meanwhile, Democrats have been united in their opposition. In a statement, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries labeled the bill 'the GOP Tax Scam' and said it would rip 'healthcare and food assistance away from millions of people in order to provide tax cuts to the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected.'
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump tariffs live updates: US-China trade talks going well, could stretch into Wednesday, Lutnick says
Trade talks between the US and China resumed on Tuesday, with talks stretching well into the evening in London. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the talks were progressing "really, really well," but that they could stretch into Wednesday as the sides iron out details. After day one, US officials were upbeat but vague on progress. President Trump said on Monday he received "good reports" but added that "China's not easy." The high-stakes negotiations follow Trump's call with Xi Jinping last week, which both leaders framed as positive. US-China tensions have risen in the aftermath of the countries' trade truce reached in mid-May in Geneva, with both countries accusing the other of breaching that truce while ratcheting up pressure on other issues. The US and China are also now using their control over certain key materials to gain control in the trade war. Bloomberg reported on Friday that the US dominates in exports of ethane, a gas used to make plastics, and China buys nearly all of it. Washington is now tightening control by requiring export licenses. China's curbs on exports of rare earth minerals, crucial for autos in particular, have drawn Washington's ire. Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet The US-China talks come as Trump pushes countries to speed up negotiations. The US sent a letter to partners as a "friendly reminder" that Trump's self-imposed 90-day pause on sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs is set to expire in early July. White House advisers have for weeks promised trade deals in the "not-too-distant future," with the only announced agreement so far coming with the United Kingdom. US and Indian officials held trade talks this week and agreed to extend those discussions on Monday and Tuesday ahead of the July 9 deadline. New tariffs are coming into play: Effective Wednesday, June 4, Trump doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50%. Meanwhile, Trump's most sweeping tariffs face legal uncertainty after a federal appeals court allowed the tariffs to temporarily stay in effect, a day after the US Court of International Trade blocked their implementation, deeming the method used to enact them "unlawful." Here are the latest updates as the policy reverberates around the world. US-China talks stretched on Tuesday, and they may continue into Wednesday, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters outside of Lancaster House in London, where delegations from both countries are meeting. "I think the talks are going really, really well," Lutnick said. "We're very much spending time and effort and energy — everybody's got their head down working closely." "I hope they end this evening," he added, "but if they need be, we'll be here tomorrow." The teams from China and the US, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, have been holding negotiations since Monday. The London summit followed a phone call between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Stocks rose to near session highs following Lutnick's comments on an otherwise fairly muted day in markets. Read more here. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman reports: Read more here. From Reuters: Read more here. Banking fees and trading revenue for one of the world's largest investment banks is expected to climb this quarter despite the concerns that surround US tariffs, Citigroup's (C) head of banking Vis Raghavan said on Tuesday. Raghaven added, that M&A activity continues to be active but the IPO market has been "stagnant." Reuters reports: Read more here. The World Bank cut its global growth forecast for 2025 on Tuesday by 0.4 percentage point to 2.3%. The international financial institution, which provides loans to governments said that high tariffs and uncertainty were a "significant headwind" for nearly all economies. Reuters reports: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan reports: Read more here. On Tuesday, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said trade negotiations with China were going well, as the two sides met in London for a second day of talks. Reuters reports: Read more here. The CEO of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX), North America's top producer of copper has warned that tariffs could hurt an industry that President Trump is trying to help. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Reuters reports: Maruti Suzuki has cut near-term production targets for its maiden electric vehicle e-Vitara by two-thirds because of rare earths shortages, a document showed, in the latest sign of disruption to the auto industry from China's export curbs. India's top carmaker, which said on Monday it had not seen any impact yet from the supply crisis, now plans to make about 8,200 e-Vitaras between April and September, versus an original goal of 26,500, according to a company document seen by Reuters. It cited "supply constraints" in rare earth materials that are vital in making magnets and other components across a range of hi-tech industries. Read more here. Both the US and China are finding new tools to use as bargaining chips within trade negotiations. Here's an example of just some of them: Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The de-escalation in trade tensions likely contributed to an improvement in US small-business confidence in May. However, uncertainty remained due to the overall economic outlook. Reuters reports: Read more here. Chinese stocks fell on Tuesday ahead of the second day of trade negotiations between the US and China. Investors are cautious as the two biggest economies seek to resolve some contentious issues. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. As US-China trade negotiations resume in London on Tuesday, both sides are eager to rebuild the truce established in May. While, the US has tightened controls on AI chip exports, China may be holding the most valuable card in these talks. CNN reports: Read more here. Advertising firm, WPP said on Tuesday that global advertising revenue is expected to grow 6% this year, lowering its earlier target of 7.7% due to the uncertainty surrounding US trade policies. Reuters reports: Read more here. Bloomberg reported that trade talks between the US and China will resume tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. in London after six hours of negotiations on Monday. US officials were looking for a "handshake" on Monday, National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett told CNBC, as the two sides look to ease tensions over tech and rare earths. President Trump weighed in on the progress, telling reporters on Monday: "We are doing well with China. China's not easy. ... I'm only getting good reports.' Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meanwhile, said it was "good meeting" and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called the talks "fruitful," sending an upbeat signal on the talks' progress. The Chinese delegation, led by Vice Premier He Lifeng, did not comment on the talks. From Bloomberg: Read more here. The number of ocean containers from China bound for the US fell precipitously in May when President Trump's 145% tariffs on Chinese goods were in effect. Supply chain technology company Descartes said Monday that seaborne imports from China to the US dropped 28.5% year over year, the sharpest decline since the pandemic, per Reuters. Overall, US seaborne imports fell 7.2% annually in May to 2.18 million 20-foot equivalent units. The decline snaps a streak of increases fueled by companies frontloading goods to avoid higher duties, which has kept US seaports, such as the Port of Long Beach, busy. "The effects of U.S. policy shifts with China are now clearly visible in monthly trade flows," Descartes said in a statement. Read more here. In today's Chart of the Day, Yahoo Finance's Josh Schafer writes that tariff headlines have been rattling markets to a lesser degree than they did in April, despite an escalation of trade tensions recently: Sign up for the Morning Brief newsletter to get the Chart of the Day in your inbox. US import costs of steel and aluminum are expected to rise by more than $100 billion after President Trump doubled tariffs on the metals to 50% this week. That is expected to impact automakers such as Ford (F), as well as importers for a variety of goods, from baseball bats to aircraft parts. The Financial Times reports: Read more here. Tariffs have brought challenges for many, but Century Aluminum (CENX) and top recycler Matalco stand to benefit from President Trump's metal import duties as domestic prices rise. Reuters reports: Read more here. US-China talks stretched on Tuesday, and they may continue into Wednesday, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters outside of Lancaster House in London, where delegations from both countries are meeting. "I think the talks are going really, really well," Lutnick said. "We're very much spending time and effort and energy — everybody's got their head down working closely." "I hope they end this evening," he added, "but if they need be, we'll be here tomorrow." The teams from China and the US, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, have been holding negotiations since Monday. The London summit followed a phone call between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Stocks rose to near session highs following Lutnick's comments on an otherwise fairly muted day in markets. Read more here. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman reports: Read more here. From Reuters: Read more here. Banking fees and trading revenue for one of the world's largest investment banks is expected to climb this quarter despite the concerns that surround US tariffs, Citigroup's (C) head of banking Vis Raghavan said on Tuesday. Raghaven added, that M&A activity continues to be active but the IPO market has been "stagnant." Reuters reports: Read more here. The World Bank cut its global growth forecast for 2025 on Tuesday by 0.4 percentage point to 2.3%. The international financial institution, which provides loans to governments said that high tariffs and uncertainty were a "significant headwind" for nearly all economies. Reuters reports: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Alexis Keenan reports: Read more here. On Tuesday, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said trade negotiations with China were going well, as the two sides met in London for a second day of talks. Reuters reports: Read more here. The CEO of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX), North America's top producer of copper has warned that tariffs could hurt an industry that President Trump is trying to help. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Reuters reports: Maruti Suzuki has cut near-term production targets for its maiden electric vehicle e-Vitara by two-thirds because of rare earths shortages, a document showed, in the latest sign of disruption to the auto industry from China's export curbs. India's top carmaker, which said on Monday it had not seen any impact yet from the supply crisis, now plans to make about 8,200 e-Vitaras between April and September, versus an original goal of 26,500, according to a company document seen by Reuters. It cited "supply constraints" in rare earth materials that are vital in making magnets and other components across a range of hi-tech industries. Read more here. Both the US and China are finding new tools to use as bargaining chips within trade negotiations. Here's an example of just some of them: Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The de-escalation in trade tensions likely contributed to an improvement in US small-business confidence in May. However, uncertainty remained due to the overall economic outlook. Reuters reports: Read more here. Chinese stocks fell on Tuesday ahead of the second day of trade negotiations between the US and China. Investors are cautious as the two biggest economies seek to resolve some contentious issues. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. As US-China trade negotiations resume in London on Tuesday, both sides are eager to rebuild the truce established in May. While, the US has tightened controls on AI chip exports, China may be holding the most valuable card in these talks. CNN reports: Read more here. Advertising firm, WPP said on Tuesday that global advertising revenue is expected to grow 6% this year, lowering its earlier target of 7.7% due to the uncertainty surrounding US trade policies. Reuters reports: Read more here. Bloomberg reported that trade talks between the US and China will resume tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. in London after six hours of negotiations on Monday. US officials were looking for a "handshake" on Monday, National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett told CNBC, as the two sides look to ease tensions over tech and rare earths. President Trump weighed in on the progress, telling reporters on Monday: "We are doing well with China. China's not easy. ... I'm only getting good reports.' Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, meanwhile, said it was "good meeting" and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called the talks "fruitful," sending an upbeat signal on the talks' progress. The Chinese delegation, led by Vice Premier He Lifeng, did not comment on the talks. From Bloomberg: Read more here. The number of ocean containers from China bound for the US fell precipitously in May when President Trump's 145% tariffs on Chinese goods were in effect. Supply chain technology company Descartes said Monday that seaborne imports from China to the US dropped 28.5% year over year, the sharpest decline since the pandemic, per Reuters. Overall, US seaborne imports fell 7.2% annually in May to 2.18 million 20-foot equivalent units. The decline snaps a streak of increases fueled by companies frontloading goods to avoid higher duties, which has kept US seaports, such as the Port of Long Beach, busy. "The effects of U.S. policy shifts with China are now clearly visible in monthly trade flows," Descartes said in a statement. Read more here. In today's Chart of the Day, Yahoo Finance's Josh Schafer writes that tariff headlines have been rattling markets to a lesser degree than they did in April, despite an escalation of trade tensions recently: Sign up for the Morning Brief newsletter to get the Chart of the Day in your inbox. US import costs of steel and aluminum are expected to rise by more than $100 billion after President Trump doubled tariffs on the metals to 50% this week. That is expected to impact automakers such as Ford (F), as well as importers for a variety of goods, from baseball bats to aircraft parts. The Financial Times reports: Read more here. Tariffs have brought challenges for many, but Century Aluminum (CENX) and top recycler Matalco stand to benefit from President Trump's metal import duties as domestic prices rise. Reuters reports: Read more here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
