AI News Monitor

Italy’s data protection authority, the Garante, has ordered Chinese AI startup DeepSeek to block its chatbot service in the country due to unresolved privacy concerns. The regulator raised questions about the collection, storage, and use of personal data by DeepSeek’s AI assistant, particularly regarding its legal basis for data processing and whether user data was being stored in China.

The Garante stated that the information provided by DeepSeek was “totally insufficient” in addressing these concerns, prompting the immediate order to block the service. DeepSeek, which has made waves with its AI models said to rival leading U.S. competitors, did not offer an immediate response to the order.

The decision comes after similar investigations by data regulators in Ireland and France. In its response to the Garante, DeepSeek confirmed that it had removed its AI assistant from Italian app stores but argued that it should not be subject to local data protection laws, a stance that was not well received by the Italian authority.

Agostino Ghiglia, a board member of the Garante, stated that DeepSeek’s refusal to cooperate had worsened the company’s position, leading to the block. “If there is no cooperation, DeepSeek will continue to be blocked in Italy,” Ghiglia added.

DeepSeek’s AI assistant, which recently overtook ChatGPT as the top-rated free app on the U.S. Apple App Store, has attracted global attention for its affordability and high performance. However, privacy concerns remain central to the ongoing scrutiny of its operations in Europe.

As of Friday, some users in Italy who had already downloaded the app reported that it was still functioning on their devices, while the web version remains accessible.

The Garante’s swift action underscores Europe’s proactive stance on regulating AI and protecting user privacy, with Italy among the leading authorities in this field.