Growing Concerns Over Chinese AI App DeepSeek Prompt Calls for Federal Ban on Government Devices
A coalition of state attorneys general is intensifying pressure on Congress to enact legislation prohibiting the use of DeepSeek, a Chinese-owned artificial intelligence (AI) application, on all government-issued devices. Citing national security risks and the potential for espionage, these officials argue that DeepSeek poses a significant threat akin to that previously identified with TikTok.
The bipartisan chorus of concern, spearheaded by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, echoes longstanding worries about China’s alleged intellectual property theft and the potential exploitation of technology for intelligence gathering. In a letter addressed to leaders in both the House and Senate, 21 attorneys general explicitly stated their belief that DeepSeek represents "another tool for Chinese spies to attack America’s national security."
The letter underscores the conviction that China harbors a desire to pilfer American secrets, and that DeepSeek possesses the capability to facilitate such theft. It implores Congress to act swiftly in passing legislation mirroring the restrictions imposed on TikTok two years prior, aimed at preventing the app from extracting sensitive information from government systems.
Knudsen, the architect of the letter, minced no words in his assessment of the situation, declaring, "China is trying to steal America’s secrets. America must fight back. Congress should shut down China’s latest Trojan horse by passing the No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act."
The timing of the letter coincides with mounting public debate regarding China’s intellectual property practices and its implications for U.S. national interests. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, a Republican representing Tennessee, recently introduced legislation designed to outlaw DeepSeek within the United States.
DeepSeek, headquartered in Hangzhou, China, is described as an AI-powered search and data analysis platform owned by quant hedge fund High-Flyer. The recent launch of DeepSeek’s new AI model, purported to be more cost-effective than competing models from Meta and OpenAI, has further fueled concerns within U.S. markets. Notably, one of DeepSeek’s chatbot functions bears resemblance to ChatGPT, the AI platform developed in California.
The central contention raised by the attorneys general centers on the potential for DeepSeek to be weaponized by Chinese intelligence agencies to compromise U.S. national security. They assert that the app’s capacity to collect user data, including chat histories, keystrokes, and IP addresses, could enable the surreptitious transmission of sensitive information to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Highlighting the urgency of the matter, the letter points to the actions of several countries, including Canada, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Italy, which have already implemented bans on DeepSeek due to similar security considerations. Within the United States, states such as Virginia, Texas, and New York have also prohibited the use of DeepSeek on government-owned devices.
Drawing parallels to the TikTok situation, the attorneys general argue that Congress has a responsibility to safeguard America’s national security by extending the ban to DeepSeek on all government devices. Furthermore, they express their expectation that, should the Trump Administration not have already taken administrative action to ban DeepSeek, it would promptly enact such a ban to protect the nation from what they deem a "potent and dangerous" adversary.
The letter bears the signatures of attorneys general from a geographically diverse range of states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
Efforts to obtain a response from High-Flyer, the owner of DeepSeek, have thus far been unsuccessful.
The growing scrutiny of DeepSeek underscores the broader geopolitical tensions between the United States and China, particularly in the realm of technology. As AI becomes increasingly integral to various aspects of society and governance, the potential for foreign actors to exploit these technologies for espionage and influence operations is a matter of heightened concern for policymakers and security experts alike. The debate surrounding DeepSeek serves as a microcosm of these broader anxieties, highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing the national security implications of foreign-owned AI platforms operating within the United States.
