DeepSeek disappears from Italy Google and Apple app stores

The Chinese-made DeepSeek app, which has reached the top of the downloads list in recent hours, disappeared from Google and Apple's digital stores in Italy.

News that free app Deepseek may be able to outperform US rivals at a fraction of the cost sent US tech stocks tumbling earlier this week.

OpenAI accused Deepseek of using its own work for its AI apps.

Italy's privacy ombudsman, Pasquale Stanzione told ANSA he didn't know if Deepseek's disappearance "was down to us or not".

He said: "We have asked for information.

Now the company has 20 days to respond: when it responds our offices will start an in-depth investigation to see if there is compliance with the GDPR".

The EU general data protection regulation (GDPR) governs how the personal data of individuals in the EU may be processed and transferred.