The U.S. Commerce Department has reportedly banned Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek on government devices.
What Happened: In recent weeks, several bureaus within the U.S. Department of Commerce issued internal communications warning staff not to use DeepSeek AI on government-furnished equipment, also known as GFE, reported Reuters, citing a message and two people familiar with the matter.
"To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese-based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE," said one department-wide email. "Do not download, view, access any applications, desktop apps or websites related to DeepSeek."
It remains unclear how widespread the ban is within other parts of the U.S. government.
Why It's Important: The move follows rising alarm over the potential risks posed by Chinese AI tools accessing sensitive government data.
In January, DeepSeek's release triggered a wave of concern in global markets due to its low-cost capabilities and its potential to challenge U.S. dominance.
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Several states, including Virginia, Texas, and New York, have already implemented bans on the use of DeepSeek on government equipment, the report noted.
A coalition of 21 state attorneys general has also called on Congress to pass federal legislation barring the model.
In February, Taiwan also banned DeepSeek AI. Similarly, South Korea and Italy have halted new downloads of the app due to privacy issues.
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