Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) has asked Chinese AI company DeepSeek to clarify how it processes the personal data of Irish users. The request comes as part of ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with European data protection laws.
Unlike major US tech firms that base their EU operations in Ireland, DeepSeek has not designated the country as its European headquarters. This means the company does not fall under the same oversight framework as other large technology firms, prompting the regulator to seek direct answers on its data handling practices.
The DPC’s inquiry highlights the increasing scrutiny of foreign tech companies operating in Europe, especially those dealing with sensitive user information. As concerns over privacy and data security continue to grow, regulators are expected to tighten enforcement to ensure adherence to strict EU data protection laws.
Italy’s data protection authority, the Garante, has launched an investigation into Chinese AI model DeepSeek over its use of personal data. The regulator is seeking details on the types of data collected, its sources, purposes, legal basis, and whether the information is stored in China. DeepSeek and its affiliates have been given 20 days to respond, marking one of the first regulatory challenges faced by the startup.
The inquiry comes as DeepSeek gains global attention, recently overtaking OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the top app on Apple’s United States App Store. The Chinese firm positions itself as a low-cost competitor to United States AI models, a claim that has drawn scrutiny from governments and markets alike. In the United States, White House officials have expressed concerns over the app’s potential national security implications.
Italy‘s Garante is known for its assertive stance on AI regulation, having briefly banned ChatGPT in 2023 over alleged EU privacy violations. The investigation into DeepSeek underscores the growing global focus on the privacy and security risks posed by emerging AI technologies.
Liang Wenfeng, the 39-year-old founder of DeepSeek, has rapidly become a central figure in China’s AI ambitions. Previously maintaining a low profile, he gained national attention after being invited to a closed-door symposium with Premier Li Qiang. His company has made waves by developing an open-source AI model that rivals the capabilities of industry leaders while operating at a fraction of the cost.
Unlike many Chinese tech firms that focus on commercial applications, DeepSeek has prioritised fundamental AI research. Liang argues that China must shift from imitation to original innovation to bridge the gap with the United States. His decision to open-source DeepSeek’s models aligns with his belief that collaboration and transparency will accelerate AI development, much like Silicon Valley’s early approach.
Liang’s background in finance and engineering has shaped his strategic vision. After co-founding a successful quantitative hedge fund, he pivoted to AI, founding DeepSeek in 2023. His leadership has attracted top talent from China’s elite universities, drawn by the challenge of developing artificial general intelligence. As DeepSeek gains global recognition, it signals China’s intent to play a leading role in the future of AI.
SoftBank is set to invest $500 million in SkildAI, a fast-growing AI robotics startup, at a valuation of $4 billion. The company, founded just two years ago, specialises in building AI models that can be adapted for different robotic applications. Previous investors include Jeff Bezos, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and Coatue Management, who contributed to a $300 million round last July.
The investment comes amid surging interest in AI-powered robotics, with major backers like Bezos ramping up funding in the sector. Startups such as Physical Intelligence and Figure AI have also secured hundreds of millions in recent months to develop advanced robotic “brains” and humanoid robots.
SkildAI’s latest funding highlights the growing competition in AI-driven automation, with investors betting on smarter, more adaptable robots. As demand for robotics expands across industries, firms like SkildAI are positioning themselves at the forefront of this technological revolution.
Smiths Group, the British engineering firm known for its baggage-screening and explosive detection equipment, is addressing a cybersecurity breach involving unauthorised access to its systems. The company confirmed on Tuesday that it had isolated the affected systems as soon as the incident was detected.
Efforts are underway with cybersecurity experts to recover impacted systems and assess the broader implications of the breach. Smiths Group assured it is adhering to all regulatory requirements and promised to provide updates as necessary.
The incident, disclosed in the morning, sent the company’s shares down by as much as 2.3% in early trading. No further details have been provided about the breach or its potential consequences.
Figure AI has announced the creation of the Centre for the Advancement of Humanoid Safety, a new initiative aimed at ensuring humanoid robots can operate safely in workplaces. Led by former Amazon Robotics safety engineer Rob Gruendel, the centre will focus on testing AI-controlled robots for stability, human detection, and navigation to minimise accidents.
The rise of humanoid robots in warehouses and factories has sparked concerns about their potential risks. Unlike traditional industrial robots, which were confined to cages, these machines move freely among workers, raising safety questions. Existing solutions, such as Amazon’s wearable safety vest and Veo Robotics’ vision-based systems, have helped, but regulation remains largely absent.
Figure AI plans to release regular safety reports detailing its progress, testing methods, and solutions for potential hazards. As companies push to integrate humanoid robots into daily operations, and eventually, into homes, the need for clear safety standards is becoming increasingly urgent.
The treasurer of Australia, Jim Chalmers, has urged caution regarding the use of the Chinese AI model DeepSeek, citing potential risks associated with the technology. Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Chalmers emphasised that the government is closely monitoring the situation and continuously receiving advice on its implications.
DeepSeek, a cost-efficient AI model released by China, has raised global concerns, particularly over its ability to challenge the dominance of US AI developers. Its debut caused significant market turbulence, with shares of AI chip leader Nvidia plunging by 17% on Monday before making a partial recovery.
The United States has also voiced concerns, announcing an investigation into the national security implications of DeepSeek. The scrutiny highlights growing geopolitical tensions around the advancement and control of AI technologies.
Hugging Face has introduced Inference Providers, a new feature that allows developers to run AI models on third-party cloud services. Partnering with companies like SambaNova, Fal, Replicate, and Together AI, the platform now offers users the flexibility to deploy models on different infrastructures directly from their project pages.
Previously, Hugging Face primarily focused on its in-house AI hosting solutions, but the company is shifting towards a more collaborative approach. By integrating with external serverless providers, developers can now scale their models without managing hardware, making deployment easier and more cost-efficient. Users will pay standard provider rates, and Hugging Face Pro subscribers will receive additional free credits.
Since its founding in 2016, Hugging Face has grown into a leading AI model hub, backed by major investors like Google, Amazon, and Nvidia. With its latest move, the company continues to expand its ecosystem, making AI more accessible for developers worldwide.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has called Chinese startup DeepSeek’s R1 model “impressive,” highlighting its ability to deliver advanced AI performance at a fraction of the cost. According to DeepSeek, its R1 model is 20 to 50 times cheaper to use than OpenAI’s own models, offering significant affordability without sacrificing quality.
Chinese AI, DeepSeek gained global recognition last month when it revealed that training its DeepSeek-V3 model required less than $6 million in computing resources, leveraging lower-cost Nvidia H800 chips. In contrast, Altman noted that OpenAI remains committed to prioritising increased computing power, suggesting this as an important factor in achieving AI progress.
The emergence of DeepSeek has disrupted the AI industry, leading to a significant sell-off in tech stocks, including Nvidia, which recorded a historic single-day loss of $593 billion in market value. Analysts say DeepSeek’s cost-efficient approach raises doubts about the necessity of the massive financial investments made by US tech firms in AI development.
As DeepSeek continues to attract attention, the startup’s success underscores a shift in the AI market, with low-cost models challenging traditional notions of progress in AI.
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has announced that its Janus-Pro-7B model has surpassed competitors, including OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 and Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion, in benchmark rankings for text-to-image generation. This achievement solidifies DeepSeek’s reputation as a key player in the rapidly evolving AI market.
According to a technical report, the Janus-Pro model builds upon its predecessor by incorporating enhanced training processes, higher-quality data, and advanced scaling, resulting in improved stability and more detailed image outputs. The company credited the inclusion of 72 million high-quality synthetic images, combined with real-world data, for the model’s superior performance.
This success follows the launch of DeepSeek’s new AI assistant based on the DeepSeek-V3 model, which has become the top-rated free app in the US Apple App Store. The news sent shockwaves through the tech industry, leading to declines in shares of companies like Nvidia and Oracle, as investors reassessed the competitive dynamics in AI development.
OpenAI and Stability AI have yet to comment on the claims. DeepSeek’s achievements highlight the growing influence of Chinese firms in cutting-edge AI innovation, setting the stage for heightened competition in the global tech market.
