In just three weeks, the number of users of China’s generative AI service DeepSeek in South Korea has plummeted to one-tenth due to concerns about personal data breaches and increased South Korean government regulations.
Meanwhile, OpenAI’s ChatGPT has experienced a significant surge in users during the same period. Analysts suggest that ChatGPT may have benefited from restrictions on DeepSeek, which initially attracted attention from people who did not use the AI chatbot.
According to the mobile app statistical analysis firm Mobile Index on Thursday, DeepSeek’s daily active users (DAU) in South Korea peaked at 191,556 on January 28 before experiencing a sharp decline.
By February 4, the number of users had plummeted by 60% to 74,688, and by the 9th, it had plunged over 80% to 37,820. Since then, it has continued to decline, but it slightly increased to 37,903 on the 17th. However, it turned downward again and fell below 20,000 by the 23rd. On the 24th, the number of users continued to decline to 19,535. Compared to its peak on January 28, DeepSeek’s users have shrunk to 10% of its former glory.
This sharp drop in DeepSeek use is mainly due to escalating concerns over data privacy and the South Korean government’s regulatory movement.
After confirming that user data was being transferred to ByteDance, the Personal Information Protection Commission of South Korea took swift action. As of 6 PM on February 15, it blocked DeepSeek app downloads from major platforms like Google Play and the App Store.
However, it’s worth noting that the PC version of DeepSeek remains accessible due to technical limitations in enforcing the ban.
ChatGPT’s number of active users in South Korea skyrocketed during the same period, showing a contrast.
On February 17, immediately following DeepSeek’s download suspension, ChatGPT’s DAU soared to 829,459 – a 9% jump from the previous day’s 760,766. This upward trajectory continued, with user numbers hitting 863,646 by the 24th.
The weekly active user (WAU) also exceeded 2 million in the first week of February and 2.25 million in the third week of February, from 1.58 million to 1.68 million in January.
This trend isn’t limited to South Korea; it’s mirrored in the global market.
Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), revealed that ChatGPT’s global weekly active users had reached a staggering 400 million by February. This represents a 33% surge from December’s 300 million users within three months.
In response to the growing privacy concerns, DeepSeek has taken steps to address the situation, appointing the law firm Bae, Kim & Lee as its legal representative in South Korea. On February 14, DeepSeek publicly expressed its intention to actively cooperate with the Personal Information Commission, acknowledging that it partially neglected to comply with Korean laws while launching global services.