Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek sent shockwaves through the U.S. tech sector after its cost-effective, open-source, large language model (LLM) topped the download charts in Apple 's App Store in the U.S., overtaking OpenAI's ChatGPT, which has been pouring billions of dollars in its AI infrastructure and burning through cash.

What DeepSeek R1’s privacy policy reveals about its AI systems deserves close attention and the utmost caution in its use.

Roughly two weeks ago, China-based DeepSeek unveiled its open-source large language model (LLM), known as DeepSeek-R1, which is similar to ChatGPT, the chatbot developed by OpenAI that effectively sparked AI euphoria in late 2022.