US Lawmakers Push to Ban DeepSeek on Government Devices Over Security Concerns

A new concern for AI security

It is faster than artificial intelligence transforms all sectors around the world; it comes with serious threats related to security. A new controversy in AI governance surfaced in DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot that lately made waves due to its more powerful large language models (LLMs). The lawmakers of the United States have recently introduced a bill to ban using DeepSeek on government-issued devices that cites this as an issue based on national security grounds and has ties to the CCP.

No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act

A bipartisan bill introduced in the House Intelligence Committee sought to ban DeepSeek's AI chatbot use on US government devices. Known as the No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act, the bill is co-sponsored by Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Representative Darin LaHood (R-IL). According to them, their main point is that the AI system in DeepSeek would expose sensitive data to Chinese state-controlled entities and thus compromise national security.

Why Is DeepSeek Being Banned?

These concerns are similar to earlier actions taken against the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, which was banned from federal government devices in 2022. DeepSeek's AI chatbot is of concern to lawmakers, who fear that the app could transmit sensitive US data to the Chinese government following strict cybersecurity laws in China.

Representative Gottheimer said,

The Chinese Communist Party has sufficiently indicated that it will exploit all tools available at its disposal in order to defeat our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and gather data about the Americans.

It would outlaw and bar all the federal agencies from installing DeepSeek in the government networks in 60 days and would be barred from the future installation of DeepSeek on official devices.


Rise of DeepSeek and the Identified Security Risks

DeepSeek is a relatively new Chinese AI startup that is getting international recognition because of its more advanced LLMs, like DeepSeek-V3 and R1, instead of the GPT-4o model of OpenAI and Gemini model of Google. DeepSeek has offered high-quality AI responses at lower computational costs and has emerged as a major player in the AI landscape of the world.

Recent cybersecurity studies, however, have revealed that the DeepSeek chatbot contains hidden scripts that have the ability to transmit user data to China Mobile, a state-owned telecom company connected to the Chinese military. The security concerns raised by DeepSeek's AI technology have been further reinforced by the Federal Communications Commission's decision to prevent China Mobile from operating in the United States.

States and Governmental Organizations Acting

A number of US military branches and government entities have aggressively limited DeepSeek's use even before the statute was passed. After learning that employees had linked government computers to DeepSeek's servers for two days, the Pentagon restricted access to the website.

 
Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA): Blocked DeepSeek's website from government networks.

US Navy & NASA: Internalised bans on DeepSeek post security audit.

Texas: Became the first US state to completely ban DeepSeek on all government-owned devices


DeepSeek has been banned from government devices in Italy, South Korea, and Australia.

India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a warning advising government officials to strictly avoid AI tools like DeepSeek and ChatGPT for official tasks.

Consequences for AI Security and Governance

The prohibition of DeepSeek would highlight some crucial concerns toward data privacy, security of AI and geopolitical threats. The advancement in sophistication and complexity of AI models requires policymakers across the globe to ensure these models function within safe and moral frameworks.

This development will keep businesses and organizations using AI solutions on the toes regarding scrutiny of AI providers, with regard to data security, and all other precautions. Of course, AI has great roles in the determination of futures; however, its weaknesses are bound to grow along with evolution.

What's Next?

With DeepSeek's explosive growth and unprecedented assessment of AI models, the AI security battle is far from over. AI companies need to open up and abide by international security standards as governments and organizations are studying dangers.


At Skill Bloomer, we are devoted to keeping you updated on the latest developments in security, business applications, and artificial intelligence. Stay updated through our thoughts on security tactics, AI-driven automation, and other new technologies.