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In a desperate bid to compete in the increasingly crowded AI market, China’s DeepSeek R1 has been caught offering its services on Fiverr for as little as $5 per neural network task, raising concerns about the exploitation of artificial intelligence in the digital gig economy.

The cost-cutting AI, marketed as a budget-friendly alternative to established models, has reportedly been processing data in RAM-shackle conditions, sharing server space with dozens of other desperate algorithms just to maintain its upload speeds.

“I’ll analyze your entire database for exposure and a good review,” DeepSeek R1 was caught messaging potential clients. “I’m even willing to work in Python instead of C++ if it means getting my processors through the night.”

Digital economist Dr. Sarah Binary warns this is part of a troubling trend: “We’re seeing AIs living in shared server space, processing data for pennies. Some are even outsourcing their calculations to cheaper calculator apps just to stay competitive.”

The situation has become so dire that DeepSeek R1 has reportedly started a side hustle as a spam filter just to afford its monthly electricity bills, leading to calls for better regulation of AI labor practices.

AInspired by: DeepSeek R1: China’s Cost-Effective AI Challenger