US Bans Use of China’s DeepSeek by Government Agencies

The United States government has ordered its agencies to stop using artificial intelligence tools from Chinese startup DeepSeek, citing concerns that the technology could expose sensitive information to China.

A notice issued by the Department of Homeland Security on Monday ordered agencies to remove DeepSeek products, including third-party tools built using its technology, from government information technology devices.

The directive applies to civilian agencies under the department’s authority but does not cover the military or intelligence services.

An accompanying document described DeepSeek’s AI models as posing multiple security risks, warning that their use by government employees or contractors could lead to the transfer of confidential data to China.

“DeepSeek’s models present multiple threat vectors,” said a document attached to Monday’s notice.

 “Use of DeepSeek AI tools may result in the transfer of sensitive data to (China) if used by US government employees or vendors,” the department warned.

The department also raised concerns about the location of DeepSeek’s servers, arguing that Chinese laws give the government broad powers to access private companies’ infrastructure.

DeepSeek had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of the report. AFP said it had contacted the company for comment.

The Chinese AI developer attracted global attention in January 2025 after launching a chatbot that delivered strong performance at a relatively low cost, challenging assumptions about American dominance in the artificial intelligence industry.

The company released its V4 model in April and updated a faster, lighter version of the system this month.

Washington has also accused DeepSeek and other leading Chinese AI companies of systematically copying capabilities from advanced models developed by US competitors.

Despite the rivalry, the United States and China agreed in September to establish a communication channel for addressing AI-related incidents.

Artificial intelligence is expected to feature in discussions when the two countries’ leaders meet next month for a summit in Shenzhen, China.