DeepSeek, a Chinese-developed generative AI platform, is raising international alarms over privacy and intellectual property issues. Following its rise to popularity, the app has been removed from Italy's app stores due to investigations by the Italian data protection authority, the Garante, regarding its data collection practices.
The Garante is particularly concerned about whether user data is stored in China, which could violate privacy regulations. They have given DeepSeek 20 days to respond to inquiries about its compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Other countries, including Ireland and the United States, are also scrutinizing DeepSeek. The U.S. is investigating allegations that DeepSeek may have trained its AI models using proprietary data from American companies.
Microsoft, a key investor in OpenAI, is examining whether DeepSeek violated its terms of service by potentially using its API to train its AI models. Reports suggest that DeepSeek's efficiency, achieving significant results at a fraction of the cost of competitors, may stem from using techniques like model distillation, raising further concerns about intellectual property theft.
As DeepSeek continues to expand, its operations are becoming a focal point in a broader discussion about the implications of AI technology on global markets and privacy standards.