Taipei, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs stated on Friday that government agencies should avoid using the AI service from a Chinese startup due to security concerns, citing its Chinese origin.
Taiwan, a democratic nation, has been cautious of Chinese technology due to Beijing's claims over the island's sovereignty, along with military and political threats towards Taipei.
The Ministry emphasized that the use of DeepSeek's AI service is prohibited for government entities to "mitigate information security risks." According to the Ministry, utilizing this Chinese product poses information security threats, including cross-border data transmission and potential information leaks, endangering the country's security.
The Ministry pledged to stay updated on technological advancements and adjust its information security protocols promptly to uphold security standards.
Furthermore, the privacy watchdog mentioned its intention to inquire about DeepSeek's user data management practices. Additionally, investigations by authorities in France, Italy, Ireland, and other nations are underway regarding DeepSeek's handling of personal data.
By Monday, DeepSeek's free AI assistant had surpassed its U.S. competitor ChatGPT in downloads on Apple's app store, triggering global investors to divest from U.S. tech stocks. This move led to a historic single-day loss of $593 billion in market value for chipmaker Nvidia, marking a Wall Street record.