South Korea Blocks DeepSeek AI Over Security Concerns: Report

Due to security concerns, South Korea’s government has temporarily blocked employees from using DeepSeek which is a Chinese artificial intelligence startup. This move is part of a broader cautionary approach to generative AI services, as per a Reuters report.

According to a ministry official, the government issued a notice on Tuesday advising ministries and agencies to exercise caution when using AI services like DeepSeek and ChatGPT at work.

DeepSeek has faced similar restrictions in other countries. Australia and Taiwan have banned the service from government devices, while Italy’s data protection authority ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country.

South Korea’s information privacy watchdog plans to investigate how DeepSeek manages user personal information. When contacted by Reuters DeepSeek declined to comment on the matter.

Also, read| DeepSeek’s AI Breakthrough: The End Of US Tech Monopoly?

The country’s major tech companies, such as Kakao Corp, SK Hynix, and Naver, have also taken steps to restrict employee access to generative AI services, according to the report.

The Chinese startup has gained attention for its latest AI models, which it claims are comparable to or better than US-developed products, but at a lower cost.

DeepSeek’s launch has made headlines in the tech world, with several governments and companies expressing concerns over security and data privacy.

In related news, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced a partnership with Kakao Corp to provide AI technology to the popular Korean messaging app KakaoTalk.

Also, read| Quantum Computing Breakthrough Go Mainstream: How Tech Giants Are Turning Sci-Fi Into Reality

DeepSeek became the most downloaded free app on Apple’s store since its release in January in the US, even overtaking rival ChatGPT.

According to the company, its latest AI models are on par with industry-leading models in the US, including ChatGPT, at a fraction of the cost.