Seth Hays
The release of China’s DeepSeek R1 generative AI model, purportedly built on significantly less computing power and money than comparable models, made headlines across the world. While much discussion is focused on how this moves US–China AI competition, the rest of Asia is assessing the impact of this new player on their AI governance and industrial policies from practical and rights-based perspectives.
Examining policy moves by Japan, South Korea and Taiwan in response to DeepSeek shows the importance of AI governance. Particularly in the areas of privacy protection and national security, AI governance is necessary for a successful cross-border AI industry to thrive in Asia and positioning these countries to take advantage of industry volatility.
South Korea’s Personal Information Privacy Commission suspended the use of DeepSeek in South Korea due to concerns about the company’s collection and processing of personal data. The privacy regulator indicated that DeepSeek expressed its interest in actively cooperating with the authorities by appointing a local agent.
South Korea’s approach has been balanced in that it noted that the deficiencies can be remedied and the services restored after improvements are made. It cited similar concerns that were raised by US-based AI services, such as OpenAI and Google AI services.
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