What is DeepSeek and is it safe to use?

DeepSeek is an AI company that offers an assistant and models, some of which are published as open weights. Whether it is safe depends on how you use it and on your data rules.

Points to consider:

• The hosted app and API send your text to the provider's servers, so read its current privacy policy and where data is stored.
• Some organizations and governments restrict its use on work devices, so check your employer's policy.
• Running an open-weight DeepSeek model yourself keeps text on your machine, though you must still source the files carefully and check the license.
• Avoid pasting sensitive or confidential data into any hosted service you have not vetted.