South Korea’s data protection authority said Thursday that Chinese AI startup DeepSeek transferred user information and prompt content abroad without user consent during its initial launch in the country.
The Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) found that Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co. Ltd. shared personal data and AI prompts with companies in China and the United States after its January release in South Korea.
The app was suspended in February after DeepSeek acknowledged it failed to meet local privacy rules. According to the commission, AI prompt inputs and user device data were sent to Beijing Volcano Engine Technology Co. Ltd.
DeepSeek told authorities the transfer was meant to “improve user experience”, but said it blocked further data transmission as of April 10.
South Korea has now issued a corrective recommendation, urging the company to delete the transferred data and establish a legal basis for any future international data transfers.
China’s Foreign Ministry responded, saying:
“The Chinese government has not and will never ask companies to collect and store data illegally.”
DeepSeek has yet to comment on the investigation.
Read next
15:30
DeepSeek
China has narrowed the artificial intelligence (AI) development gap with the United States to just three months in certain areas, according to Lee Kai-fu, the CEO of Chinese AI startup 01.AI.
18:30
DeepSeek
U.S. Commerce Department bureaus have reportedly issued a blanket ban on the Chinese AI model DeepSeek for use on government-furnished equipment, according to sources and a mass email seen by Reuters.
17:00
DeepSeek
Chinese retail investors are increasingly turning to DeepSeek and other artificial intelligence tools to navigate the stock market, marking a significant shift from last year’s government crackdown on computer-driven quantitative trading.
21:00
DeepSeek
The Trump administration is reportedly considering a ban on the Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek from U.S. government devices over national-security concerns, according to a source familiar with the matter.
20:30
xAI
Elon Musk-owned artificial intelligence firm xai has acquired a 1-million-square-foot property in southwest Memphis, the Greater Memphis Chamber reported on Friday.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment