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In a recent Fox News interview posted on Kevin O'Leary's Instagram on January 30, 2025, the Shark Tank investor addressed concerns over the potential risks of installing the DeepSeek app on personal devices. O'Leary emphasized that it is "very risky" to do so.
“This is my deep-seek phone, this is my TikTok phone. This phone thinks I live in Phnom Penh Cambodia, so I'm taking care of myself, everybody else should understand what they're doing here, very risky to put this stuff on your phones,” he said.
The Shark Tank investor's statement highlighted the growing skepticism surrounding DeepSeek and similar applications, especially in the context of data security.
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Shark Tank Kevin O'Leary's warning on the risks of installing DeepSeek
DeepSeek and data security concerns
Kevin O'Leary's views are based on the growing issues of data privacy and the potential risks that DeepSeek, a product associated with Chinese technology, poses. In the interview, he explained that many people are skeptical about DeepSeek's legitimacy and potential uses.
"There's a tremendous amount of skepticism regarding this deep-seek product," he said.
The primary concern is how DeepSeek handles user data. O'Leary cautioned that users should be cautious when installing apps that request access to personal information. Specifically, he noted that the app could be scraping data, such as emails, and sending it back to servers in China. He pointed out that this could be a violation of US laws, particularly those related to data privacy.
"It looks like it's scraping it, so everything you've ever emailed that's sitting on the server domestically is going back to China," O'Leary explained.
The Shark Tank investor underscored the severity of the situation, stating that it could be considered a breach of the Congress-mandated act prohibiting the theft of American citizens' data.
The bigger picture: Geopolitical implications
O'Leary also expanded on the broader implications of the technology wars between China and the US, positioning DeepSeek as a symbol of the ongoing competition for dominance in artificial intelligence (AI) and technology.
He argued that a country with superior AI capabilities would hold a significant advantage in various spheres, including warfare and propaganda. The risk of espionage and data breaches is not just limited to individual privacy concerns but also has national security implications.
O'Leary highlighted that these apps, particularly those developed by Chinese companies, may be used for purposes other than those publicly disclosed, potentially compromising user data and broader national interests.
"We are in a propaganda war with China, we're in an economic war with China, we're in a technology war with China," O'Leary explained.
The Shark Tank investor also said that the country with the best AI would have a significant advantage in the future of warfare, with propaganda being one of the key areas where AI could play a crucial role.
Legal and regulatory challenges
In addition to data privacy and security, O'Leary raised legal and regulatory issues surrounding apps like DeepSeek. He warned that the app was probably violating US laws, especially those protecting citizens' personal data.
The threat of litigation was a recurring theme in O'Leary's statements, as he noted that if DeepSeek is found to violate data protection laws, there could be significant consequences for the companies behind it.
"This app itself breaches that act of Congress. If it's scraping data and if you actually install it, it's going to ask for your email address," the Shark Tank investor emphasized.
O'Leary also mentioned US legislation that could influence the future of apps like DeepSeek. He mentioned a bill proposed by Senator Lindsey Graham, which addresses the issue of Chinese companies secretly holding "golden shares" that require them to provide access to data.
This issue could have far-reaching implications for businesses operating in the US, especially those listed on major stock exchanges like NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange.
"The bigger issue, which is going to have to get resolved even on TikTok, is maybe it's time to give data back to users," O'Leary remarked.
The Shark Tank investor further cautioned that these issues could escalate, leading to significant legal conflicts.
"We're going to get into a bit of a war here taking these things down if they're breaching the laws that say you can't steal data from American citizens."
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