US bans use of China’s DeepSeek by gov’t agencies

The US government on Monday ordered its agencies to stop using artificial intelligence tools from Chinese startup DeepSeek, as the countries race for dominance in the fast-moving sector. Deepseek. Photo: Matheus Bertelli/Pexels. A notice from the Department of Homeland Security announced the ban on products developed by DeepSeek — and tools created using DeepSeek by third parties — saying they must be removed from IT devices. The department can issue direction to civilian agencies, but not the military or intelligence services. Washington’s Department of Defense did not respond to an AFP request for comment. “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. Its servers are located in China, where the legal system permits the government “extensive authority” to access private company infrastructure, it said. AFP has contacted DeepSeek for comment. Headquarters of the US Department of Homeland Security in Washington DC. Photo: Wikicommons. DeepSeek, one of China’s top AI labs, shook up the industry in January 2025 with a low-cost, high-performance chatbot, challenging assumptions of US dominance. The firm released a long-awaited new model, V4, in April, and this month updated a faster, more lightweight version of V4. The United States has accused DeepSeek and other top Chinese AI firms of systematically stealing the capabilities of cutting-edge models developed by American rivals. Despite their fierce competition in the field, China and the United States in September agreed to set up a “communication channel” for AI incidents. The topic is expected to arise again when the countries’ leaders meet next month at a summit in the Chinese city of Shenzhen. Safeguard press freedom; keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps Make a one-off donation. Dateline:New York, United States Type of Story: News ServiceProduced externally by an organization we trust to adhere to high journalistic standards. Agence France-Press (AFP) is "a leading global news agency providing fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the events shaping our world and of the issues affecting our daily lives." HKFP relies on AFP, and its international bureaus, to cover topics we cannot. Read their Ethics Code here More by AFP