DeepSeek is blocked in the Apple and Google app stores in Italy.
The block occurs one day after the country's data protection authority demanded information from the company about its use of personal data.
MILAN (Reuters) - The Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek was blocked from Apple and Google app stores in Italy on Wednesday, a day after the country's data protection authority demanded information from the company about its use of personal data.
The Irish Data Protection Commission stated that it has also requested information from DeepSeek regarding data processing in relation to Irish users.
Last week, DeepSeek launched a free AI assistant that, according to the company, uses less data and costs a fraction of the price charged by current services. On Monday, the assistant had surpassed its US rival ChatGPT in downloads on Apple's app store, causing panic among investors in tech stocks.
"The news of the app's removal was given just a few hours ago, I can't say whether this is due to us or not," said the head of the Italian data regulator, Pasquale Stanzione, according to the Ansa news agency.
"Our office will launch a thorough investigation to verify whether the GDPR rules are being respected," Stanzione added, according to Ansa, referring to the European Union's data protection regulation.
The Italian regulatory body, known as Garante, said on Tuesday that it wanted to know what personal data is collected, from which sources, for what purposes, on what legal basis, and whether it is stored in China. The authority gave DeepSeek and its affiliated companies 20 days to respond.
A notice displayed to Italian customers on Apple's App Store stated that DeepSeek is "currently unavailable in your country or area." A message on Google's app platform stated that the download is "not supported" in Italy.
