Chinese startup DeepSeek, which specializes in generative artificial intelligence, has recently gained immense popularity, becoming a leader in the technology field after launching its chatbot in January 2025. In just a few weeks, the DeepSeek app surpassed ChatGPT in the number of downloads in the US, becoming the most popular free app in the iOS App Store.
However, as Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, warns, such success may hide serious risks for user security. He notes that Chinese artificial intelligence collects huge amounts of personal data, including financial information, interests and even the emotional state of users. As this AI “learns” its users, the question is where this data ends up and who controls it.
“DeepSeek is a great tool for intelligence gathering,” Kovalenko emphasizes, highlighting the potential threats associated with the impact of such technologies. His statements question the intentions of the Chinese company developing DeepSeek and raise questions about the ethics of using such tools to collect personal information.
According to official figures, the DeepSeek model was developed at a record low cost, which raises doubts about the reliability of these data. In parallel with the fact that DeepSeek has achieved significant success in America, the shares of such technology giants as Nvidia and Oracle have fallen sharply on the news of this breakthrough. This calls into question the global competitiveness of Western technologies and opens up new prospects for China in the world of innovation.
