The next DeepSeek to disrupt the global artificial intelligence industry could also come from China.

Italy has blocked Chinese AI startup DeepSeek’s chatbot over data privacy concerns, marking another instance of European regulators taking a firm stance on artificial intelligence. The country’s data protection authority,

MILAN (Reuters) - Italy's data protection authority, the Garante, said on Thursday it had ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country after the Chinese artificial intelligence startup failed to address the regulator's concerns over its privacy policy.

Officials in South Korea and Australia have cited concerns about user data and national security as reasons to block the buzzy AI service from China.

A bipartisan congressional bill is being introduced to ban China's DeepSeek artificial intelligence software from government devices. U.S. Reps. Darin LaHood, R-Ill., and Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., are introducing the legislation on national security grounds,

Beijing has criticised Australia's decision to ban Chinese-owned AI chatbot DeepSeek from government devices. It comes as the federal government on Tuesday announced it was banning DeepSeek from workplace devices “to protect Australia’s national security and national interest".