Why DeepSeek's Data Storage Should Worry UK Businesses
If you're thinking about using AI tools like DeepSeek in your business, there's something important you need to know: DeepSeek stores all your data on servers in China. For any UK business handling sensitive information, this should raise serious concerns.
What Their Policy Actually Says
DeepSeek's privacy policy states clearly:
"Please be aware that our servers are located in the People's Republic of China. When you access our services, your Personal Data may be processed and stored in our servers in the People's Republic of China."
This isn't buried in the small print—it's how their system works. And it creates real problems for UK businesses, particularly if you work in:
Financial services
Legal practices
Healthcare
Any regulated sector
Why This Matters for Your Business
Chinese law gives the government broad powers to access data stored on Chinese servers. This means:
You could lose control over who sees your data
There's no guarantee your confidential information stays confidential
You might be breaking UK and EU data protection laws (like GDPR)
If you're in healthcare, legal services, or handle government contracts, using DeepSeek could put you in breach of your regulatory obligations.
The Hidden Risk: What Happens to Your Data
It's not just about where your data sits—it's what might be done with it. Every prompt you send, every document you process, every client detail you query could potentially be used to train their AI system. If you're putting client contracts, financial records, medical information, or trade secrets into DeepSeek, you're taking on risks you probably can't manage.
The Better Option: Keep Your AI In-House
At AI Futures, we believe your data should stay under your control—on your own servers, in your chosen UK or EU data centre, or in a private cloud you manage. Our private LLM solutions are built for businesses that take data protection seriously:
No data leaves your infrastructure
Your own encrypted data storage
Full compliance with UK and EU regulations
Complete control over who accesses what
Don't Trade Privacy for Convenience
DeepSeek might work well technically, but for UK businesses, the question isn't just "does it work?"—it's "can we legally and safely use this?"
Before choosing any AI provider, ask three questions:
Where exactly is my data stored?
Who might be able to access it?
Does this comply with UK law?
The answers might change your decision entirely.
