South Korea bans new downloads of China’s DeepSeek AI
South Korea has banned new downloads of China’s DeepSeek synthetic intelligence (AI) chatbot, based on the nation’s private information safety watchdog.
The federal government company mentioned the AI mannequin will grow to be out there 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 grew to become massively in style in South Korea leaping to the highest of app shops with over 1,000,000 weekly customers.
However its rise in recognition additionally attracted scrutiny from nations 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 grew to become 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 staff from downloading the chatbot to their work gadgets.
South Korea’s performing president Choi Sang-mok has described Deepseek as a “shock”, that might impression the nation’s industries, past AI.
Regardless of the suspension of latest downloads, individuals who have already got it on their telephones will be capable to proceed utilizing it or they might 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 speedy rise as one of many world’s favorite AI chatbots sparked considerations in numerous jurisdictions.
Other than South Korea, Taiwan and Australia have additionally banned it from all authorities gadgets.
Italy’s regulator, which briefly banned ChatGPT in 2023, has executed the identical with DeepSeek, which has been requested to deal with considerations over its privateness coverage earlier than it turns into out there once more on app shops.
In the meantime, lawmakers within the US have proposed a invoice banning DeepSeek from federal gadgets, citing surveillance considerations.
On the state-government degree, Texas, Virginia and New York, have already launched such guidelines for his or her staff.
DeepSeek’s “giant language mannequin” (LLM) has reasoning capabilities which are similar to US fashions corresponding to OpenAI’s o1, however reportedly requires a fraction of the associated fee to coach and run.
That has raised questions in regards to the billions of {dollars} being invested into AI infrastructure within the US and elsewhere.
Further reporting by Jean Mackenzie in Seoul
