Italy’s data protection authority, Garante, is investigating Chinese AI model DeepSeek over its handling of personal data.

Officials seek details on what data is collected, its sources, purpose, legal basis, and whether it is stored in China, giving DeepSeek has 20 days to respond.

This marks one of the first regulatory actions against the Chinese AI startup, which has quickly gained attention as a low-cost alternative to US competitors.

Garante is known for its active role in AI regulation.