DeepSeek AI banned in South Korea

DeepSeek grew to become a viral sensation a number of weeks in the past when it was revealed {that a} reasoning AI could possibly be nearly as good as ChatGPT o1 with out entry to high-end {hardware} that US AI corporations get. Chinese language startups like DeepSeek are banned from shopping for the newest Nvidia GPUs wanted for AI growth, so the DeepSeek engineers used software program optimizations to maximise efficiency.

Whereas the DeepSeek app topped the App Retailer, I warned customers to keep away from the Chinese language genAI product, as varied points had been instantly apparent. The privateness coverage said that DeepSeek knowledge is shipped to servers in China. Then, there was the built-in censorship to fret about.

Quickly after, we discovered that DeepSeek databases might have been hacked, and that DeepSeek consumer knowledge travels to servers in China unencrypted. Additionally worrying is the truth that the info goes to ByteDance servers, the enormous Chinese language tech firm that owns TikTok, amongst different issues.

These points are ok to contemplate a DeepSeek ban, which some US lawmakers have already put ahead. Individually, some nations have began banning DeepSeek, with Italy being among the many first to take action.

Quick-forward to mid-February, South Korea determined to ban DeepSeek downloads on iPhone and Android after discovering that consumer knowledge goes to ByteDance servers. DeepSeek has acknowledged the problems in dealing with consumer privateness within the nation.

In accordance with Korea JoongAng Every day, the Private Data Safety Fee (PIPC) supplied the next touch upon Monday: “We discovered that DeepSeek’s consumer knowledge was leaked to ByteDance. When customers accessed DeepSeek, their info was being handed on to ByteDance as properly.”

So far as we all know, ByteDance shouldn’t be concerned with DeepSeek. It’s unclear what kind of business agreements the 2 events might need.

DeepSeek is perhaps storing DeepSeek knowledge on ByteDance servers as a result of it doesn’t have the right infrastructure to deal with the AI knowledge by itself. I’m speculating right here, but when that’s the case, it simply proves the price claims about AI are considerably deceptive. DeepSeek is perhaps cheaper to coach, particularly if it was distilled from ChatGPT. However the infrastructure prices for holding the service up can’t be low-cost.

Korea JoongAng Every day additionally notes that the PIPC mentioned DeepSeek enacted the ban voluntarily after the regulator requested it to droop its service. DeepSeek apparently admitted it had uncared for to stick to Korean knowledge safety legal guidelines. This is a crucial precedent for different jurisidictions banning DeepSeek.

The PIPC began investigating DeepSeek’s privateness practices after Korean authorities companies and personal companies blocked the brand new AI. The PIPC mentioned its probe will decide the type of knowledge DeepSeek handed to ByteDance. Nevertheless, the regulator expects DeepSeek to want a very long time to repair the issue:

We decided it will take a big period of time to rectify the DeepSeek service. To forestall additional considerations from spreading, we really useful that DeepSeek quickly halt its service in Korea whereas making obligatory changes.

Nevertheless, the company didn’t subject a full-scale ban. DeepSeek is on the market on the internet in South Korea regardless that new iPhone and Android app downloads have been blocked. Additionally, iPhone and Android customers who have already got DeepSeek put in on their gadgets can nonetheless use the service.

The PIPC nonetheless advises customers to watch out what knowledge they offer DeepSeek whereas speaking to the AI. It can examine whether or not DeepSeek poses any hurt earlier than instituting an entire ban on the service. The probe ought to be accomplished sooner than related investigations into OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft, which took 5 months.