Italy has banned the Chinese AI model Deep Seek R1 after its data protection authority blocked the app on Thursday, citing security concerns over its handling of personal data.
Developed by Hangzhou-based start-up DeepSeek Inc., the AI assistant of the same name was released last week and has since become an online sensation after toppling the US-based OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the most popular AI assistant on Apple’s App Store.
The ban followed a request by the authority, Garante, for detailed information about the application’s data usage, including what personal information is collected and its sources, the intended purposes, legal grounds, and whether the data is stored in China-based servers.
“Contrary to the authority’s findings, the companies declared that they do not operate in Italy and that European legislation does not apply to them,” the statement said, noting that the app had been downloaded by millions of people around the globe in just a few days.
Also read: Indian servers to host DeepSeek AI to ensure data privacy: Vaishnaw
The regulator then said that the decision had “immediate effect” and that it had launched an investigation into the matter as “the data of millions of Italians is at risk.”
Amid the risk of safety concerns, the US Navy personnel have been advised to avoid the use of Chinese chatbots for work and personal use, citing concerns over ethical and security risks.
However, with its global debut last week, the China-based AI assistant model has shaken up the entire market, with some of the tech giants, such as NVidia, losing over $600 billion in just one day following the launch of DeepSeek AI.
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