ZDNET
Amid growing concerns over Chinese AI models like DeepSeek, new research suggests that fears may be overblown – at least when it comes to data privacy. In fact, some popular US-based AI chatbots might be collecting even more of your personal information.
When DeepSeek debuted its flagship open-source AI model in January, the American tech industry was thrown into hysteria. Some embraced the competition — claiming this is “AI’s Sputnik moment” — but others? Well, not so much. Still, about 12 million users worldwide downloaded the AI chatbot two days after its launch. Numerous privacy and security concerns quickly surfaced about it, prompting private and government organizations to ban DeepSeek’s use in the US and abroad.
The researchers analyzed the privacy details of the following chatbots that are the most popular on the Apple App Store: ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Grok, Jasper, Poe, Claude and Pi. Then, they compared the types of data each application collects, whether it collects any data linked to its users, and whether the app includes third-party advertisers.
The investigation led the researchers to determine that Google Gemini collects significantly more personal data than its competitors. The app gathers 22 out of 35 user data types, including highly sensitive data like location data, user content, the device’s contacts list, and browsing history. Ultimately, it far outpaces the data collected by the other popular chatbots included in the study.
Only Gemini, Copilot, and Perplexity were found to collect precise location data, but about 30% of the chatbots were found to share sensitive user data, like location data and browsing history, with third parties such as data brokers.
Surfshark
Furthermore, Copilot and Poe collect device IDs for this purpose, and Jasper gathers not only device IDs but also product interaction data, advertising data, and “any other data about user activity in the app,” according to Surfshark experts.
Meanwhile, DeepSeek’s privacy policy states users can manage their chat history and may delete their chat history via their settings.
Also: The best AI chatbots: ChatGPT, Copilot, and notable alternatives
Privacy complaints have plagued DeepSeek’s AI chatbot for various reasons, but they’re primarily grounded in the idea that the American public is at heightened risk of surveillance, cyber warfare, and other national security risks.
The rapid acceleration of global AI development and the perceived AI arms race between the US and China fuel profound privacy, security, and ethical risks.