Italy demands answers from Chinese AI firm DeepSeek on data use
The Chinese AI app DeepSeek has surpassed ChatGPT in the US App Store but faces regulatory challenges.
Italy’s data protection authority, the Garante, has launched an investigation into Chinese AI model DeepSeek over its use of personal data. The regulator is seeking details on the types of data collected, its sources, purposes, legal basis, and whether the information is stored in China. DeepSeek and its affiliates have been given 20 days to respond, marking one of the first regulatory challenges faced by the startup.
The inquiry comes as DeepSeek gains global attention, recently overtaking OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the top app on Apple’s United States App Store. The Chinese firm positions itself as a low-cost competitor to United States AI models, a claim that has drawn scrutiny from governments and markets alike. In the United States, White House officials have expressed concerns over the app’s potential national security implications.
Italy‘s Garante is known for its assertive stance on AI regulation, having briefly banned ChatGPT in 2023 over alleged EU privacy violations. The investigation into DeepSeek underscores the growing global focus on the privacy and security risks posed by emerging AI technologies.
