Chinese AI Startup DeepSeek Faces US Government Scrutiny
A Chinese artificial intelligence startup, DeepSeek, has come under fire from US lawmakers over concerns about data privacy and potential access by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The company, which claims to have developed AI models with less capital and using inferior Nvidia chips, is now facing legislative action to restrict its use on government devices.
Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood have introduced the “No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act” in the House. This bill aims to prevent DeepSeek’s AI chatbot from being used on US government devices, citing concerns about potentially sharing sensitive information with the chatbot.
DeepSeek’s R1 model has gained attention for its claimed performance parity with US rivals like OpenAI at a lower cost. The company’s privacy policy, which indicates user data storage in China, has raised security concerns. Despite these issues, DeepSeek quickly became the most downloaded free app on Apple’s App Store in the US.
Security experts have raised additional red flags. Feroot Security, a Toronto-based cybersecurity firm, reported hidden code in DeepSeek transmitting data to CMPassport.com, a website linked to China Mobile, a state-owned telecommunications company. This discovery has intensified lawmakers’ concerns over the potential use of US user data by the CCP.
The scrutiny of DeepSeek is not limited to the United States. Australia has banned the app from government devices citing national security concerns, while Italy’s data protection authority has ordered DeepSeek to block its chatbot in the country.
The proposed legislation against DeepSeek parallels the initial steps taken to restrict TikTok in the US. TikTok faced similar scrutiny, leading to temporary unavailability and divestment requirements imposed by the Senate and Biden administration.
This legislative proposal reflects ongoing concerns about data privacy and national security in the context of Chinese tech companies operating in the US. As the situation develops, it remains part of a broader examination of international technology firms and their impact on national security.
