While we’ve all been rushing to the app store to figure out what all the fuss is about, Australia’s politicians are flagging some concerns with the new Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek that burst into the scene this week.
DeepSeek’s free AI assistant was launched in early January 2025 for Apple iOS and Android and rocketed to the top of global app stores by January 27, displacing ChatGPT.
Buzz around the technology even sent the Nasdaq index tumbling by around three per cent, wiping out around $1 trillion (AUD$1.5 trillion) in market value. Talk about making an entrance.
Addressing the hype on Tuesday, Australia’s Housing Minister Clare O’Neil — who served as Minister for Cyber Security till September last year — urged users to be vigilant as national security agencies still seek to learn more about this, per the ABC.
“The app only came out in the last couple of days … so what our national security agencies will be doing at the moment is having a look at the settings of the app and understanding more about how it works before it issues some formal guidance to Australians about care that they need to take,” O’Neil told Sunrise.
“Look, the advice is always the same. You should always exercise caution.
“The thing I’d be thinking about really for Australians at home is your personal information. That is the most valuable asset that we have in some respects. Just be careful about what you’re sharing.”
As for her own use of DeepSeek, she said she is still “a ChatGPT girl at this stage,” making it clear she’s holding off on the new AI for now.
Of course, she wasn’t the only Australian politician to put forth some concerns, with Science Minister Ed Husic echoing a similar sentiment.
“There are a lot of questions that will need to be answered in time on quality, consumer preferences, data and privacy management,” Husic told the ABC on Tuesday.
“I would be very careful about that. These types of issues need to be weighed up carefully.”
Speaking at a press conference the same day, Husic noted people will likely “naturally gravitate” towards DeepSeek as its popularity surges.
However, as we’ve already seen with TikTok, there would probably be some discussion around privacy and cybersecurity concerns from the new Chinese competitor.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if that emerges. But let’s see how that plays out,” Husic told reporters.
AI’s really been all the rage in recent years. (Source: BlackJack3D / Getty Images)
It wouldn’t be the first time Australian authorities have taken a cautionary stance against a foreign technology – remember when it banned Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from the national 5G network in 2018, citing national security concerns?
As reported by the BBC, DeepSeek’s privacy policy presently outlines that information it collects from users is stored “in secure servers” in China. This may includes email addresses, phone numbers, and date of birth when creating an account; chat histories or user input, like audio or text; and technical information such as your phone’s model or your IP address.
Per DeepSeek’s policy, it will then share this information with others, such as service providers, advertising partners, and its corporate group, which will be kept “for as long as necessary”, the BBC explained.
On his part, Australia’s new chief scientist Tony Haymet — coincidentally appointed to the role yesterday — wasn’t necessarily pessimistic, describing AI as a “great opportunity”.
“DeepSeek is genuine and, you know, [it] is really going to change our lives. Certainly, it’s changed the stock market. But it shows you the pace at which innovation and science and technology goes,” he told reporters.
Haymet maintained that Australia is well placed to manage the emerging technology.
“We have a terrific governance regime. I think we’re going to be able to keep our communities safer from the potential perils of AI than many other nations,” he said.
Meanwhile, Liberal Senator Jane Hume has suggested the government should make its advice about DeepSeek “explicit”, per the AAP.
“It’s overtaken ChatGPT, we would urge caution on this one. Take our advice from the security experts, and we hope that the government will make that advice explicit,” she told Seven’s Sunrise.
Over in the US, President Donald Trump mulled that DeepSeek could be a “wake-up call” for American companies to innovate at a lower cost.
“The release of DeepSeek, AI from a Chinese company, should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win,” said Trump, per The Guardian.
The White House is also believed to be investigating any national security implications of the app’s rapid spread.
Look, we’re all still wrapping our heads around this latest AI trend – maybe it’s not the worst idea to just take a beat?
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