US Considers Ban on Chinese AI Chatbot DeepSeek for Government Devices

Technology

US Considers Ban on Chinese AI Chatbot DeepSeek for Government Devices

8 months ago

News sources:

CHANNELNEWSASIA

SCMP

REUTERS

US Considers Ban on Chinese AI Chatbot DeepSeek for Government Devices

Credited from: SCMP

The US government is contemplating a ban on the Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek amidst national security concerns.
Officials are worried about the handling of user data, reportedly stored on servers in China.
A group of attorneys general has urged Congress to prevent DeepSeek’s use on government devices.
The discussions are in early stages, with potential changes affecting app stores and cloud service offerings.

The White House is reportedly examining steps to restrict the Chinese AI company DeepSeek, including potentially banning its chatbot from US government devices. This consideration comes amid rising concerns regarding national security, particularly how the company manages user data, which it claims is stored on servers located in China, as noted in a report by the Reuters. Discussions are also centered on prohibiting the chatbot from being listed in app stores, and limiting the involvement of US-based cloud service providers with DeepSeek’s AI models. These steps reflect growing apprehensions among US officials and were fueled by DeepSeek’s low-cost models, which have raised alarms among investors, prompting fears of disruption among top AI firms. On Thursday, a coalition of 21 state attorneys general officially called on Congress to legislate barring the installation and usage of DeepSeek's AI software on government devices, further highlighting the bi-partisan concern over potential data security risks associated with the platform. The White House has yet to respond substantively to the ongoing discussions regarding these measures. For more information, visit Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.