Russian TV duped by hoax about DeepSeek’s Soviet Era Inspiration

Russia‘s state television broadcasted a satirical news story claiming China‘s DeepSeek AI was based on Soviet-era code, highlighting ongoing cultural nostalgia for past technological achievements.

The key development: A fake interview published by Russian satirical website Panorama, falsely attributing DeepSeek’s AI technology to 1985 Soviet programming, was broadcast as legitimate news on state-run Rossiya One television channel.

• The fabricated story featured a fictional interview with DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng praising Soviet programmers
• The report claimed the AI code originated from work by Viktor Glushkov, a pioneer who created the first Soviet personal computer
• Glushkov was noted for developing an early data-processing network for the Soviet planned economy, with some scientists suggesting it contained rudimentary AI features

Notable reactions: The story’s widespread circulation revealed deep-seated sentiments about Russia’s technological heritage.

• Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov initially shared the story on Telegram, praising Soviet scientific achievements before removing the post
• The story gained traction across influential social media accounts, demonstrating the appeal of narratives about Soviet technological prowess

Current context: Russia’s present-day AI capabilities stand in stark contrast to historical technological achievements.

• Russia currently ranks 31st out of 83 countries in AI implementation, innovation, and investment according to Tortoise Media’s Global AI Index
• The country lags behind not only global leaders like the United States and China but also BRICS partners India and Brazil
• Russia maintains two major domestic AI models and is closely monitoring China’s AI developments, particularly following DeepSeek’s recent advances

Looking beyond the headlines: The incident underscores how narratives about past technological glory can resonate deeply within societies grappling with current competitive challenges in the global AI race, while also highlighting the ongoing challenge of misinformation in state media.