The US government on Monday ordered its agencies to stop using artificial intelligence tools from Chinese startup DeepSeek, as the two countries compete fiercely for dominance in the fast-moving sector.
A notice from the Department of Homeland Security said the ban covers DeepSeek’s products and tools built on them by third parties. Such tools must be removed from information technology devices.
Security concerns cited in the department notice
A document attached to the notice said that “DeepSeek’s models present multiple threat vectors.” The department warned that using DeepSeek tools may lead to sensitive data being transferred to China if used by US government employees or vendors.
The department said DeepSeek’s servers are located in China, where the legal system gives the government “extensive authority” to access private company infrastructure.
Limits of the directive and US-China AI tensions
The department can issue directions to civilian agencies but not to the military or intelligence services. The Department of Defense did not respond to a request for comment, and DeepSeek has been approached for a response.
DeepSeek, one of China’s top AI labs, shook up the industry in January 2025 with a low-cost chatbot. The United States has accused it and other Chinese AI firms of systematically stealing capabilities from American rivals. The topic is expected to come up again when the countries’ leaders meet next month in Shenzhen.
