DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, has limited access to its AI services and ended discounts due to overwhelming demand and server capacity issues. The company's AI model, DeepSeek-v3, has gained significant attention globally for its ability to generate human-like text, leading to a surge in user registrations and API requests.
To manage the demand, DeepSeek has suspended new user signups, except for those with mainland China telephone numbers, and restricted API credits to prevent widespread impact on its services. Existing users can continue to access the platform, but new users face limited access.
The company has also announced that it will end discounts on its services, with prices set to increase on February 8. The new pricing model will charge 2 yuan for every one million input tokens and 8 yuan for every one million output tokens.
DeepSeek's limitations and pricing changes come amid growing concerns over data privacy and security, particularly in light of the company's ties to China. As the platform continues to evolve, it's likely that we'll see further developments in its access controls and pricing models.
