Probe Targets Chinese Firms for Sharing Data with AI Model Claude
China's Cyberspace Administration has launched an investigation into two domestic companies, DeepSeek and Moonshot AI, amid allegations that they transmitted user queries to Claude, an AI model developed by the American firm Anthropic. This inquiry follows a report from Anthropic highlighting potential AI misuse and comes just before Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to the United States, where artificial intelligence is expected to be a central topic during talks with then-President Donald Trump.
The regulator has summoned executives from several leading Chinese AI labs, focusing particularly on the activities of DeepSeek and Moonshot AI. According to the data, Moonshot AI sent over 23 million queries between May and July, while DeepSeek submitted 12.1 million queries in just the first half of July. Anthropic indicates that responses generated by Claude were used to train these companies' own AI models through a method known as distillation.
Privacy Concerns Amid High-Stakes International Dialogue
Anthropic's report reveals that the prompts sent to Claude contained sensitive details—including names, email addresses, corporate information, and other data from hundreds of users in at least twelve languages. The company warns that such practices may violate privacy regulations and the service terms of AI labs.
The ongoing investigation in Beijing can be seen as a goodwill gesture ahead of significant diplomatic discussions.
This case highlights China's increasing focus on data security and privacy as AI technologies rapidly evolve. The issue of user data handling is becoming a key element in international negotiations, potentially shaping the future technological and innovation relationship between China and the United States.
As the investigation into DeepSeek and Moonshot AI unfolds, it echoes broader concerns regarding data security in the AI sector. Recently, the US has also raised alarms about significant data theft involving Chinese AI companies, sparking international tension over data handling practices. For a closer look at these allegations and their implications for US-China relations, read more about the accusations against Chinese AI firms.