We analysed the online hype around DeepSeek and found something unusual: thousands of fake accounts were amplifying the narrative of mass adoption.
This wasn’t just random spam — the accounts showed patterns typical of coordinated bot networks (synchronous posting, recycled avatars, and disproportionate engagement).
The result: investors and the market briefly reacted to a level of “traction” that wasn’t real.
I’m curious how others here think about this:
How can we distinguish genuine user adoption from manufactured buzz in an LLM/AI market that is moving this fast?
What tools or heuristics do you use to check the authenticity of online signals?
(Research details and case breakdown in the post.)