Italy’s Data Protection Authority Seeks Answers
China’s DeepSeek AI, a chatbot that recently soared to the top of Apple’s App Store charts, has caught the attention of Italy’s data protection watchdog. The Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante) has sent an information request to DeepSeek, citing the “possible risk for the data of millions of people in Italy.” As the authority responsible for monitoring GDPR compliance, Garante has inquired about the types of personal data collected by the AI chatbot, the purposes for which it is used, and whether the data is stored on servers physically located in China.
Privacy Concerns and Alleged OpenAI Data Breach
DeepSeek’s privacy policy acknowledges transferring users’ personal information to servers in China, claiming compliance with applicable data protection laws. However, Garante seeks clarification on DeepSeek’s data practices, including how both registered and non-registered users are informed about data processing. Additionally, the watchdog wants to understand the type of information used to train DeepSeek’s AI system.
Adding to the concerns, Bloomberg reports that Microsoft and OpenAI are investigating whether a group linked to DeepSeek improperly obtained and used OpenAI data for training purposes. This alleged data exfiltration occurred in the fall of 2024 and involved a large amount of data accessed through OpenAI’s API.
Scrutiny from US Authorities and Global Implications
The concerns surrounding DeepSeek’s data practices extend beyond Italy. Reuters reports that US authorities have begun evaluating the national security implications of the China-based AI chatbot. As DeepSeek’s popularity continues to grow, regulatory scrutiny and data privacy concerns are likely to intensify.
DeepSeek now has 20 days to respond to Garante’s information request. The company’s response and subsequent actions will be closely watched, as they could set precedents for how AI companies handle data privacy and compliance issues, particularly in the context of cross-border data transfers and the use of potentially sensitive data for training AI models.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chinas-deepseek-ai-hit-by-information-request-from-italys-data-protection-watchdog-133025226.html?src=rss
