U.S. Commerce Department bureaus have reportedly issued a blanket ban on the Chinese AI model DeepSeek for use on government-furnished equipment, according to sources and a mass email seen by Reuters.
The directive, aimed at safeguarding sensitive information, warned staff not to download, view, or access any applications, desktop apps, or websites related to DeepSeek on their government devices.
The ban comes amid growing concerns among U.S. officials and lawmakers that DeepSeek’s low-cost AI models could pose a threat to data privacy and national security. Earlier this year, the release of DeepSeek sparked a significant selloff in global equity markets, as investors feared that its efficiency might erode the United States’ competitive edge in artificial intelligence.
In response to these concerns, Congress members Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence introduced legislation in February to prohibit the use of DeepSeek on government devices. They also sent letters to several U.S. governors urging similar bans at the state level, highlighting that use of the app could result in the inadvertent sharing of highly sensitive, proprietary information with the Chinese Communist Party.
Several states, including Virginia, Texas, and New York, have already implemented bans on DeepSeek on government-issued devices, and a coalition of 21 state attorneys general has called on Congress to pass federal legislation to address the issue. The Commerce Department has not yet commented on the ban, and Reuters was unable to determine the full extent of the prohibition across the federal government.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 15th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Asian markets edged higher on Tuesday, lifted by gains in auto stocks after US President Donald Trump suggested he might ease tariffs on vehicles.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 10th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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The 4th session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent began this week at the UN headquarters in New York, bringing renewed international scrutiny to France and the Netherlands over their continued control of several overseas territories.
South Korea’s finance minister said Tuesday that Seoul will seek to delay U.S. tariffs for as long as possible, as negotiations with Washington continue amid mounting pressure on the country’s export-dependent economy.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 15th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Asian markets edged higher on Tuesday, lifted by gains in auto stocks after US President Donald Trump suggested he might ease tariffs on vehicles.
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