Politics
AFRICA, AMERICA, APPLE, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, ASIA, AUSTRALIA, BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, CENSORSHIP, CHINA, CHOI SANG - MOK, CUBA, DEEP, ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE, GOOGLE PLAY, INFORMATION PROTECTION COMMISSION, JEAN MACKENZIE, KOREA, KOREA, SOUTH, MEXICO, NEW YORK, NORTH AMERICA, OCEANIA, PERSONAL INFORMATION PROTECTION COMMISSION, SEOUL, SOUTH AFRICA, SOUTH KOREA, TAIWAN, TECHNOLOGY, TEXAS, UNITED STATES, US, VIRGINIA
Clara Montgomery
South Korea Imposes Ban on Downloads of China’s DeepSeek AI Chatbot
South Korea has banned new downloads of the Chinese DeepSeek AI chatbot due to personal data protection concerns. The app gained popularity quickly but attracted scrutiny that led to its removal from app stores. Existing users can still access it, while several other countries have also imposed restrictions on the app.
The South Korean government has officially prohibited new downloads of the Chinese DeepSeek artificial intelligence chatbot, as reported by the country’s Personal Information Protection Commission. According to the agency, the application will remain unavailable until necessary improvements are made to adhere to South Korean personal data protection regulations.
Following its global launch, DeepSeek gained significant traction in South Korea, quickly elevating to the top of app stores with over a million weekly users. However, its rapid success garnered international attention, leading to various nations imposing restrictions due to privacy and national security concerns, particularly focused on the potential risks associated with the app.
On Saturday evening, the DeepSeek application was removed from both Apple’s App Store and Google Play. This action followed announcements from several South Korean governmental bodies, which barred their employees from downloading the chatbot onto work devices. Choi Sang-mok, South Korea’s acting president, expressed that the emergence of DeepSeek poses significant implications for various industries beyond artificial intelligence.
Despite the suspension of new downloads, users who already installed the app will maintain access, allowing them to continue utilizing it or visiting the official DeepSeek website. The introduction of DeepSeek caused considerable disruption in the technology sector and raised questions regarding America’s AI supremacy, particularly after its launch at the end of the prior month.
The chatbot’s swift ascent to popularity has led to concerns in numerous jurisdictions, resulting in similar bans imposed by Taiwan and Australia on government devices. In the United States, lawmakers have proposed legislation to prohibit DeepSeek from federal apparatus due to surveillance apprehensions, with states such as Texas, Virginia, and New York already implementing similar restrictions for state employees.
DeepSeek’s large language model is claimed to possess reasoning capabilities comparable to esteemed US models like OpenAI’s offerings, yet it reportedly operates at a significantly lower training and operational cost. This has sparked inquiries regarding the extensive investments made in AI technologies in the United States and beyond.
In summary, South Korea’s ban on new downloads of the DeepSeek AI chatbot reflects growing privacy concerns and national security implications tied to foreign technology. As the application gains notoriety globally, it heightens scrutiny from several nations, including Taiwan, Australia, and the US, which have initiated similar restrictions. These developments emphasize the pressing need for compliance with data protection laws, particularly in the realm of advanced AI technologies.
Original Source: www.bbc.com
Post Comment