Delhi High Court Seeks Government Plan on Chinese AI Chatbot Amid Privacy Concerns

The Delhi High Court has formally requested the Central government to outline its strategy for dealing with the growing concerns surrounding DeepSeek, an artificial intelligence chatbot developed in China. This directive comes in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Bhavna Sharma, who argues that platforms like DeepSeek violate user privacy, compromise data security, and pose significant threats to India's sovereignty and integrity.

A Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, emphasized the need for the ministry to tackle these potential threats proactively. The court directed a government lawyer to obtain specific instructions from the relevant ministry and present the Centre's position at the next hearing. The PIL seeks court intervention to formulate guidelines that would restrict or block access to such AI tools within India.

The court noted that this issue needs to be addressed early on and stated that the matter would be heard alongside other similar cases concerning the regulation of artificial intelligence. This reiterates the government's previous directive earlier this year to investigate the same concerns.

Impact This news can potentially lead to stricter regulations on foreign AI technologies operating in India. It might prompt the government to develop a comprehensive policy framework for AI, affecting companies involved in AI development, data processing, and digital services operating within or targeting the Indian market. The rating for this impact is 5/10.

Difficult Terms: Public Interest Litigation (PIL): A lawsuit filed in a court of law for the protection of 'Public Interest'. It is a mechanism through which individuals or groups can bring matters of public importance to the notice of the courts. Division Bench: A bench of two or more judges of a court that hears appeals or specific types of cases. Sovereignty: Supreme power or authority; the authority of a state to govern itself or another state.