US lawmakers have introduced a bill aiming to ban the Chinese AI program DeepSeek from being used on government devices, citing concerns over data security and potential ties to the Chinese government.
The bipartisan effort is led by Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Representative Darin LaHood (R-IL), who warn that DeepSeek poses a serious threat to US national security. They claim the AI tool has "direct ties" to Beijing and could be used to collect sensitive data on Americans.
Their concerns were fueled by a recent report from US cybersecurity firm Feroot Security, which alleges that DeepSeek contains hidden code capable of transmitting user data to China Mobile, a state-owned telecom company.
DeepSeek, a Chinese startup, recently made waves in the AI industry with its affordable yet high-quality chatbot, putting pressure on US tech giants in the AI race. However, security worries have led several governments to take action.
"The Chinese Communist Party has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spread disinformation, and collect data on Americans," Gottheimer stated.
LaHood echoed these concerns, calling DeepSeek a “CCP-affiliated company” and insisting that it should never be allowed to access government or personal data.
The US isn't alone in its crackdown. South Korea has started blocking DeepSeek’s access to government systems after the company failed to respond to questions from a data watchdog. Australia has also banned the AI tool from all government devices based on security agency recommendations. Meanwhile, France and Italy have raised red flags over DeepSeek’s data practices.
The bill also comes amid ongoing tensions over Chinese tech in the US. TikTok, another major Chinese-owned platform, is currently battling legislation that would force it to divest from parent company ByteDance or face a nationwide ban.
As global governments tighten their grip on AI security, DeepSeek’s future in Western markets remains uncertain.
