DeepSeek V3.1 API Bug Introduces Mysterious 'Ji' Character

AIbase Report — A peculiar technical issue has emerged in DeepSeek V3.1, one of China's leading large language models. Multiple developers have reported that API responses unexpectedly contain the Chinese character "Ji" (极), disrupting normal coding workflows and raising questions about model reliability.

The Discovery and Spread

The anomaly was first detected by developers on platforms including Volc Engine and Chutes, before spreading to other services like Tencent's CodeBuddy. Even DeepSeek's official services weren't immune to this unexpected behavior.

Global Developer Reaction

The bug has generated significant discussion across:

• Domestic Chinese developer forums
• International platforms like Reddit
• Technical communities on GitHub and Stack Overflow

The issue manifests with variations of the character appearing in both Simplified ("极") and Traditional Chinese ("極") forms, regardless of the input language or context.

Impact on Development Workflows

For programming tasks requiring precision, this bug presents serious challenges:

• May cause compilation failures if unchecked code is deployed
• Introduces noise in automated documentation generation
• Potentially corrupts structured data outputs
• Raises concerns about model reliability for production use

Official Response and Resolution Path

The DeepSeek team has:

1. Acknowledged the issue originates in their V3.1 model
2. Confirmed they're working on a solution
3. Committed to releasing a fix in an upcoming version update

The CodeBuddy team reports productive communication with DeepSeek engineers regarding resolution timelines.

Key Points:

• Unexpected characters: The Chinese "Ji" (极) appears randomly in API outputs
• Widespread impact: Affects multiple platforms and services globally
• Development risks: Potential for code compilation failures
• Official action: DeepSeek confirms fix coming in next update
• Community response: Sparked intense discussion among AI developers