banned civilian federal agencies

The United States government has banned its agencies from using artificial intelligence (AI) tools developed by the Chinese startup DeepSeek, citing potential risks of sensitive data transfer to China. This decision comes as both nations vie for supremacy in the rapidly evolving AI sector. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued the ban, which applies to products developed by DeepSeek and tools created using DeepSeek by third parties, requiring removal from IT devices. However, the DHS cannot impose such restrictions on military or intelligence services.

The warning from DHS highlighted the multiple threat vectors posed by DeepSeek's models, emphasizing the risk of sensitive data being sent to China if used by government employees or vendors. The Department of Defense did not comment on the matter. DeepSeek, one of China's leading AI labs, gained prominence in January 2025 with the launch of a cost-effective, high-performance chatbot, challenging the notion of US dominance in AI.

In April, DeepSeek released its latest model, V4, followed by an updated, faster, and lighter version in October. The US has accused Chinese AI firms, including DeepSeek, of systematically stealing advanced models developed by American competitors. Despite this rivalry, the US and China agreed in September to establish a communication channel for addressing AI-related incidents.

This topic is expected to be discussed again during a summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Shenzhen, China, scheduled for November.