BMW has announced the integration of DeepSeek AI technology in upcoming models as privacy concerns are raised over the company's data sharing.
As concerns over DeepSeek’s risk to global security rise, BMW said it will be implementing the artificial intelligence open-sourced large language model into its new models in China later this year. The announcement came from the German automaker’s CEO Oliver Zipse at the Shanghai auto show on Wednesday, April 23.
South Korea's data protection authority found that DeepSeek transferred user information without permission while available for download in the country's app market. DeepSeek admitted to insufficiently considering Korea's data protection laws and has voluntarily suspended new downloads. Nam Seok, director of the commission’s investigation bureau, stated that the app sent data to a Beijing-based cloud service called Volcano Engine.
Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, emphasized that China has never required illegal data collection or storage. South Korea's data protection agency found that DeepSeek sent users' personal information and AI prompts to servers in China without obtaining consent. DeepSeek told the agency that the transfer of data to Beijing Volcano Engine Technology was meant to improve user experience, but it blocked the transfer of AI prompt content from April 10.
The agency ordered DeepSeek to remove transferred AI prompt content from Volcano Engine's servers and establish a legal basis for transferring personal information abroad. DeepSeek has transferred user information to Chinese and U.S. companies without consent, according to South Korea's data protection authority. The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee has raised concerns about DeepSeek's relationship with the Chinese government and data privacy issues.
DeepSeek's app has been banned on government devices in New York, Texas, and Virginia, and may face a total ban in the U.S. South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission stated that DeepSeek transferred user information without consent, violating local data protection rules.
In light of these findings, South Korean officials are working with DeepSeek to remedy the situation and have requested the company to immediately dismantle AI prompt information sharing at the center of the report, as well as set up legal safeguards for sending personal data to other countries. The investigation comes after South Korea banned government employees from using DeepSeek on work-related devices. The U.S., Australia, and Taiwan have also reportedly implemented similar measures.
In a related development, a Special Committee within the U.S. Congress concluded that DeepSeek AI represents a profound threat to U.S. national security. The report reveals data privacy and security issues, the use of tracking tools, and even links with the Chinese Army, among others.
DeepSeek AI has been under fire since its release in January 2025, with many countries either issuing investigations or bans on privacy grounds. The U.S. Congress report states, "DeepSeek represents a profound threat to our nation’s security." It further elaborates that closer inspection reveals that the app siphons data back to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), creates security vulnerabilities for its users, and relies on a model that covertly censors and manipulates information pursuant to Chinese law.
According to the company's privacy policy, DeepSeek collects a vast amount of users' data, "including chat history, device details, and even the way a person types." These details are funneled back to the PRC via an insecure infrastructure connected to a Chinese telecom company thought to have links with the Chinese Army – China Mobile. In 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned China Mobile from operating in the United States, and the company was officially designated a national security threat three years later in 2022.
Experts at Feroot Security uncovered back in February 2025 hardcoded links in DeepSeek’s web login page that directly connect it to China Mobile. The investigations also found that DeepSeek integrates tracking tools from Chinese tech giants that the U.S. government previously flagged over security concerns, including TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, Baidu, and Tencent.
"Together, these firms constitute a well-documented apparatus of surveillance, censorship, and data exploitation, which DeepSeek reinforces," wrote experts. Worse still, researchers have found that DeepSeek does little to protect the information it collects. "For these reasons, it is evident that the DeepSeek website and app act as a direct channel for foreign intelligence gathering on Americans’ private data." Allegations over the spread of Chinese propaganda, censorship, unauthorized usage of U.S. AI models, and unlawful usage of restricted Nvidia chips have also been raised.
The Committee now recommends expanding export controls and addressing risks from Chinese AI models while preparing for strategic surprise related to advanced AI. As the situation unfolds, the implications for both consumers and national security remain significant.
