DeepSeek's AI Assistant, a rapidly growing rival to Western AI services like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropics Claude, has restricted new user sign-ups due to "large-scale malicious attacks" on its services. The app, which surged to the top of Apple's App Store charts in the US, is now limiting registrations temporarily, although the exact nature of these limitations remains unclear.

According to an incident report page, existing users can log in as usual, but new users are being turned away. An alert banner on the DeepSeek web sign-up page says that "registration may be busy," rather than entirely restricted, and encourages users to wait and "try again" if their application is unsuccessful. This move comes after the app experienced outages and performance issues earlier today, which prevented users from signing in or creating new accounts. Although that incident has now been marked as resolved, no information has been provided about the reported attacks against DeepSeek's chatbot app.

Initially, it was thought that DeepSeek's systems may be under strain due to a huge influx of new users downloading the app. However, the company's earlier update suggested that only registration with a mainland China mobile phone number was currently supported, in an attempt to "ensure continued service." This specific requirement has since been deleted, and it appears that users can still create new accounts via sign-in options for Google and Apple ID. Email registration is also still listed as available on the web-based DeepSeek signup page.

The sudden restriction on new sign-ups raises questions about the security and scalability of DeepSeek's infrastructure. As the app continues to gain popularity, it's essential for the company to ensure that its systems can handle the increased traffic and protect against malicious attacks. The incident serves as a reminder of the challenges that come with rapid growth and the importance of robust security measures in the AI sector.

DeepSeek's AI Assistant has been gaining traction due to its capabilities, which are said to rival those of Western AI services. The app's surge in popularity has sparked interest in the AI community, with many users eager to explore its features and potential applications. As the company works to resolve the current issues and ensure the security of its services, users will be watching closely to see how DeepSeek responds to these challenges and maintains its position in the competitive AI landscape.

The incident also highlights the importance of transparency and communication in the tech industry. While DeepSeek has provided some information about the restrictions, the lack of detail about the nature of the attacks and the company's response has left many questions unanswered. As the situation develops, it's crucial for DeepSeek to maintain open communication with its users and provide regular updates on its efforts to resolve the issues and prevent similar incidents in the future.