South Korea Imposes Ban on New DeepSeek AI Downloads.
South Korea has prohibited new downloads of China's DeepSeek artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, as reported by the nation's personal data protection authority.
The regulatory body indicated that the AI model will be reintroduced to South Korean users once "improvements and remedies" are implemented to ensure compliance with the country's personal data protection regulations.
Following its emergence in global news, DeepSeek rapidly gained popularity in South Korea, reaching the top of app stores with over a million users weekly.
However, this surge in popularity has drawn attention from various countries, leading to restrictions on the application due to concerns regarding privacy and national security.
The Personal Information Protection Commission of South Korea announced that the DeepSeek app became inaccessible on both Apple's App Store and Google Play as of Saturday evening.
This action followed the decision of several South Korean government agencies to prohibit their employees from downloading the chatbot on work devices.
Choi Sang-mok, the acting president of South Korea, characterized DeepSeek as a "shock" that could have repercussions for the nation's industries beyond the realm of AI.
Despite the halt on new downloads, individuals who have already installed the app on their devices will still be able to use it or access it through DeepSeek's website.
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China's Deepseek has significantly impacted the technology sector, financial markets, and the United States' confidence in its leadership in artificial intelligence with the launch of its latest application at the end of last month.
The swift ascent of Deepseek as a preferred AI chatbot has raised alarms across various jurisdictions.
In addition to South Korea, both Taiwan and Australia have prohibited its use on all government devices.
Italy's regulatory authority, which had temporarily suspended ChatGPT in 2023, has similarly restricted Deepseek, requiring the company to resolve issues related to its privacy policy before it can be reintroduced to app stores.
In the United States, lawmakers have introduced legislation aimed at banning Deepseek from federal devices, citing concerns regarding surveillance.
At the state level, Texas, Virginia, and New York have already enacted similar restrictions for their employees.
DeepSeek's "large language model" (LLM) exhibits reasoning abilities that are on par with those of American models like OpenAI's o1, yet it is said to necessitate only a small portion of the expenses associated with training and operation.
This has prompted inquiries regarding the substantial financial investments being made in AI infrastructure both in the United States and globally.
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DeepSeek's "large language model" (LLM) exhibits reasoning abilities that are on par with those of American models like OpenAI's o1, yet it is said to necessitate only a small portion of the expenses associated with training and operation.
This has prompted inquiries regarding the substantial financial investments being made in AI infrastructure both in the United States and globally.
Despite the current restrictions, DeepSeek's rapid rise highlights the growing global interest in advanced AI technology. The ongoing discussions around privacy and security underscore the need for responsible AI development and regulation. As DeepSeek works to address compliance concerns, its potential to contribute to innovation remains significant. The chatbot's efficiency and cost-effectiveness demonstrate the evolving landscape of AI, encouraging further investment and research worldwide.
With appropriate safeguards, DeepSeek could return to South Korea and other markets, fostering collaboration and progress in artificial intelligence while ensuring user privacy and data security remain top priorities in this rapidly advancing field.
