US bans DeepSeek AI from government use as tech tension with China continues

The United States government has prohibited the use of AI technology from the Chinese company DeepSeek across most civilian agencies. The Department of Homeland Security issued a ban, effective from the end of July, mandating the removal of DeepSeek systems from government use. This decision is part of heightened tensions between the US and China over AI technology.

DeepSeek, an open-source AI model with free access, has gained popularity due to its cost-effectiveness compared to closed models like Google's Gemini and OpenAI's Codex. While the DHS did not specify the security concerns, the White House has previously criticized Chinese AI firms. The ban applies to civilian agencies including the Departments of the Treasury, State, and Justice, but excludes the Department of Defense.

This move follows concerns raised by the Trump administration and American tech firms about potential malicious exploitation of AI by Chinese entities. Despite its free availability, DeepSeek's AI models are widely used by tech companies, including Snowflake, Vercel, and OpenRouter. The company's developers claim their initial training costs were significantly lower than those of US AI firms like OpenAI.