DeepSeek AI has taken the global mobile app scene by storm, with its rapid rise catapulting it to the title of the most downloaded application worldwide. At the forefront of this surge is India, accounting for 15.6% of the app's total downloads since it first launched earlier this year. This feat has not only placed DeepSeek at the top of Google’s Play Store but also highlighted India’s burgeoning interest in artificial intelligence (AI).
Within just 18 days of its launch, DeepSeek reached 16 million downloads, nearly double the initial downloads of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which logged 9 million upon its release. This astonishing growth has caught the attention of both tech enthusiasts and industry giants, raising concerns about the app's low-cost model and its implications for major AI companies.
Ola’s AI platform, Krutrim, is already embracing DeepSeek models, aiming to integrate them within its cloud infrastructure. Bhavish Aggarwal, the founder of Ola, stated, “India can’t be left behind in AI. Krutrim has accelerated efforts to develop world-class AI. Our cloud now has DeepSeek models live, hosted on Indian servers. Pricing is the lowest in the world.” This significant integration reflects not just commercial intent but also the strategic importance of AI for India.
Meanwhile, Indian IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the country's plans to host DeepSeek on local servers. This move has the potential to amplify demand for computing resources, representing India as the host of the world's most affordable compute power, with high-end AI chips priced below $1 per hour. “DeepSeek was trained on 2000 GPUs,” Vaishnaw noted, emphasizing India’s burgeoning GPU capabilities with 15,000 high-end GPUs at its disposal now compared to ChatGPT’s requirement of roughly 25,000 GPUs.
Despite its growing popularity, DeepSeek's rapid ascent has triggered scrutiny over data privacy and security issues. Various jurisdictions, including the US, Netherlands, and Italy, are exploring potential cybersecurity risks linked to the Chinese app. Reports indicate the Indian government is diligent, observing how DeepSeek’s data collection practices might affect citizens' privacy and sovereignty.
Salman Waris, managing partner at Techlegis, opined, “The government at the very least needs to initiate a high-level investigation as to the extent of data mining and web scraping undertaken by DeepSeek AI.” His caution reflects widespread concern over the data privacy practices of foreign tech applications operating within India.
To counter such risks and solidify its stance, India is pursuing the establishment of open-source AI models similar to DeepSeek. Vaishnaw announced plans on Thursday to finalize all server requirements necessary for this purpose. “Everything open source can be hosted on our servers so the data privacy parameters can be tested,” he assured, showcasing transparency as the government's priority.
On the regulatory front, India has not established dedicated AI-specific laws, unlike the EU, which is working toward creating comprehensive AI regulations. Currently, India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) oversees AI-related policies, with committees tasked to develop guidelines for responsible AI governance.
Existing legal frameworks, including data protection and intellectual property laws, are being applied to address AI concerns. The Indian government is also investing significantly, with $1.2 billion allocated to bolster the nation’s AI capabilities through initiatives like IndiaAI.
Legal challenges are arising from the absence of specific regulations, evident from the copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI by Asian News International (ANI). Indian lawyers argue for jurisdictional precedence, emphasizing previous rulings against foreign tech entities. The Delhi High Court's upcoming hearings could set important precedents for AI regulatory practices.
“AI governance is important to establish ethical standards, accountability, and transparency,” stated Anupam Shukla, partner at Pioneer Legal, underscoring the necessity of implementing strong regulatory frameworks as AI technologies expand. India’s rapidly advancing AI scene brings both opportunity and responsibility, and leaders within the government and tech sector are acutely aware of the challenges presented by foreign applications like DeepSeek.
While comprehensive international laws continue to take shape, agreements such as the 2024 Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence signal steps toward global governance. India is poised to play a significant role, leveraging its technical capabilities and innovation to not only adapt to but also shape the future of AI.