The U.S. and Italy are escalating actions against the Chinese AI app DeepSeek, citing data security and privacy concerns. Following President Trump’s crackdown, Italy removed the app from stores and initiated an investigation into its compliance with EU data regulations, demanding clarity on data ownership and storage within 20 days.
In the U.S., DeepSeek has become a political flashpoint, with Trump emphasizing the need for aggressive competition to maintain AI leadership. His new policies aim to counter China’s rapid advancements, which have raised alarms about AI being used for military and intelligence purposes.
Silicon Valley, led by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, remains confident in outperforming DeepSeek but acknowledges the app’s innovative capabilities. Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence is investigating claims that DeepSeek bypassed American innovation through distillation techniques or black-market access to Nvidia chips. Critics argue that China’s AI success stems from deep financial resources and the ability to innovate or cut corners.
DeepSeek also sparks ethical debates, as its model avoids addressing sensitive topics like China’s human rights record, offering a sanitized narrative. While the app demonstrates enterprise potential, experts question whether it can achieve the scalability needed to challenge U.S.
AI dominance. This AI race isn’t just about technology, it’s about controlling narratives, and the competition is intensifying.
