South Korea has banned new downloads of China’s DeepSeek synthetic intelligence (AI) chatbot, in keeping with the nation’s private information safety watchdog.
The federal government company mentioned the AI mannequin will develop into accessible once more to South Korean customers when “enhancements and treatments” are made to make sure it complies with the nation’s private information safety legal guidelines.
Within the week after it made world headlines, DeepSeek turned massively common in South Korea leaping to the highest of app shops with over one million weekly customers.
However its rise in recognition additionally attracted scrutiny from international locations all over the world which have imposed restrictions on the app over privateness and nationwide safety considerations.
South Korea’s Private Info Safety Fee mentioned the DeepSeek app turned unavailable on Apple’s App Retailer and Google Play on Saturday night.
It got here after a number of South Korean authorities companies banned their workers from downloading the chatbot to their work units.
South Korea’s appearing president Choi Sang-mok has described Deepseek as a “shock”, that might impression the nation’s industries, past AI.
Regardless of the suspension of recent downloads, individuals who have already got it on their telephones will be capable to proceed utilizing it or they could simply entry it through DeepSeek’s web site.
China’s Deepseek rocked the expertise business, the markets and America’s confidence in its AI management, when it launched its newest app on the finish of final month.
Its fast rise as one of many world’s favorite AI chatbots sparked considerations in several jurisdictions.
Except for South Korea, Taiwan and Australia have additionally banned it from all authorities units.
Italy’s regulator, which briefly banned ChatGPT in 2023, has finished the identical with DeepSeek, which has been requested to handle considerations over its privateness coverage earlier than it turns into accessible once more on app shops.
In the meantime, lawmakers within the US have proposed a invoice banning DeepSeek from federal units, citing surveillance considerations.
On the state-government degree, Texas, Virginia and New York, have already launched such guidelines for his or her workers.
DeepSeek’s “giant language mannequin” (LLM) has reasoning capabilities which are corresponding to US fashions corresponding to OpenAI’s o1, however reportedly requires a fraction of the price to coach and run.
That has raised questions concerning the billions of {dollars} being invested into AI infrastructure within the US and elsewhere.
Further reporting by Jean Mackenzie in Seoul
