Eliana Willis

ZDNETAmid growing concerns over Chinese AI models like DeepSeek, new research suggests that fears may be overblown – at least when it comes to data privacy. In fact, some popular US-based AI chatbots might be collecting even more of your personal information.When DeepSeek debuted its flagship open-source AI model in January, the American tech industry was thrown into hysteria. Some embraced the competition — claiming this is “AI’s Sputnik moment” — but others? Well, not so much. Still, about 12 million users worldwide downloaded the AI chatbot two days after its launch. Numerous privacy and security concerns quickly surfaced about it, prompting private and government organizations to ban DeepSeek’s use in the US and abroad.Also: 5 ways to use generative AI more safely – and effectivelyBut here’s the twist – despite all the frenzy, DeepSeek isn’t the biggest data offender out there. Curious to know how your favorite AI chatbot stacks up when it comes to privacy? Let’s look at what Surfshark’s researchers have found.AI chatbots collect and track user dataRecent data from Surfshark, a well-known VPN provider, uncovered that Google Gemini is the most data-intensive AI chatbot app. DeepSeek, however, comes in fifth out of the 10 most popular applications. The researchers analyzed the privacy details of the following chatbots that are the most popular on the Apple App Store: ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Grok, Jasper, Poe, Claude and Pi. Then, they compared the types of data each application collects, whether it collects any data linked to its users, and whether the app includes third-party advertisers.Also: Google claims Gemma 3 reaches 98% of DeepSeek’s accuracy using only one GPUThe investigation led the researchers to determine that Google Gemini collects significantly more personal data than its competitors. The app gathers 22 out of 35 user data types, including highly sensitive data like location data, user content, the device’s contacts list, and browsing history. Ultimately, it far outpaces the data collected by the other popular chatbots included in the study. Only Gemini, Copilot, and Perplexity were found to collect precise location data, but about 30% of the chatbots were found to share sensitive user data, like location data and browsing history, with third parties such as data brokers. Thirty percent of these chatbots also track user data. In particular, Copilot, Poe, and Jasper collect data to track their users, which means that the user data collected from the app is linked with third-party data for the purpose of targeted advertising or ad measurement metrics. More

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The MSPM0C1104 measure only 1.38 mm² and yet is a fully-featured microcontroller. TI Texas Instruments has officially unveiled the MSPM0C1104, which it claims to be the world’s smallest microcontroller. This remarkable device measures a mere 1.38 mm², which is only slightly larger than a flake of black pepper. The MSPM0C1104 is a wafer chip-scale package […] More

Google Google Gemini has introduced a conversational AI assistant to understand users’ needs conversationally. But what if, in addition to understanding what you say, it could also understand you from your everyday interactions with your device? Now it can. Also: AI agents aren’t just assistants: How they’re changing the future of work today On Thursday, […] More

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David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images If you’re a T-Mobile customer, your rates might be on the rise. After announcing a price bump less than a year ago, the mobile carrier is doing it again — and once again, it’s affecting customers on older plans. Also: Want a cheaper phone bill? This major carrier lets you play […] More

ZDNETHave you ever felt like your phone is listening in on your conversations? You’re probably right, and so is your TV, your Alexa, and your other smart home devices. Researchers at NordVPN have developed a simple test to check.Also: How to disable ACR on your TV (and stop companies from spying on you)Your smartphone is constantly using its built-in microphone so your assistant can hear voice commands, and it’s probably not the only device in your home doing so. But are these devices hearing other things you say, and are your background conversations leaving your device? How to find out if your phone is listening to youStart by choosing a unique topic that you’ve never searched for or discussed before. This should be something unrelated to any usual interest, NordVPN says. Discuss this topic over several days, making sure you’re around your phone each time. Talk about the topic and specific things related to it (like tourist sites or hotels in a certain city), but don’t search online for this topic. Also: I recommend this $50 anti-spy camera finder to anyone travelingOver the next few days, pay close attention to the ads you see — on your social media feed, website ads, app ads, and even ads on your TV. If you start seeing ads about your chosen topic, you’ve confirmed that your phone is listening. More