A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is pushing to ban government employees from using DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot that has taken the tech industry by storm. Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) are expected to introduce a bill this Friday, citing national security risks as their main concern.
DeepSeek, a China-based AI startup, made headlines last month with the launch of its R1 model, an AI system that rivals top American models while being significantly cheaper and more efficient. The startup’s rapid progress has intensified fears that the U.S. is falling behind China in the AI race.
Why Is the U.S. Government Worried About DeepSeek?
The proposed legislation would give federal agencies 60 days to develop a strategy for removing DeepSeek and other apps from its parent company, High Flyer, from all government devices. Lawmakers are concerned that China’s government could exploit DeepSeek to collect sensitive data or spread misinformation—similar to past allegations against TikTok.
“The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool available to undermine our national security, spread disinformation, and collect Americans’ data,” said Rep. Gottheimer in a statement. “We cannot afford to make the same mistake we did with TikTok.”
A Growing International Crackdown
The U.S. isn’t alone in its concerns over DeepSeek. Countries like Australia, Italy, and Taiwan have already taken steps to restrict its use. If the bill passes, the ban would mirror previous actions against TikTok, which is currently facing a forced sale in the U.S. due to security concerns related to its China-based parent company, ByteDance.
Cybersecurity experts warn that DeepSeek could pose an even greater risk than TikTok, as AI chatbots often store user input data to improve their models. This raises concerns about data privacy, particularly under China’s strict cybersecurity laws, which require companies to hand over data to the government upon request.
“Any data entered into DeepSeek could be accessed by the Chinese government under their cybersecurity laws,” said Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN. “That could include sensitive conversations from U.S. government employees.”
What Happens Next?
If the bill becomes law, U.S. government agencies will have just two months to eliminate DeepSeek from official devices. However, the broader battle for AI dominance between the U.S. and China is far from over. With DeepSeek’s success proving that China is closing the AI gap, pressure is mounting on Silicon Valley and the Biden administration to step up investment in AI research.
As the debate continues, one question remains: Is banning DeepSeek enough, or is the U.S. already losing the AI war?
