A bipartisan pair of US lawmakers, Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), are set to introduce legislation banning the use of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek’s chatbot on government devices due to national security concerns.
DeepSeek, a Chinese startup subject to US export restrictions, recently gained attention after launching its advanced AI model, R1, which rivals top American models while being more efficient and cost-effective. The rapid advancement has raised concerns about China surpassing the US in AI development.
If passed, the bill would require government agencies to remove DeepSeek and any other app developed by its parent company, High Flyer, within 60 days. The move mirrors similar restrictions on TikTok, based on fears that Chinese companies could be compelled to share data with Beijing.
Security experts warn that data shared with DeepSeek could be subject to China’s cybersecurity laws, posing potential risks. Gottheimer emphasized the need to prevent a repeat of the TikTok controversy, stating, “We cannot allow the CCP to infiltrate our government devices and jeopardize national security.”
