DeepSeek Already Being Banned By US Government Agencies

According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, US officials are reviewing the potential national security risks linked to a reported artificial intelligence (AI) development by Chinese company DeepSeek.

This announcement follows reports that the US Navy has prohibited its personnel from using DeepSeek’s applications, citing “potential security and ethical concerns.”

Meanwhile, OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has expressed its commitment to collaborating with the US government to prevent competitors from exploiting its technology.

Earlier in the week, DeepSeek unveiled an allegedly low-cost yet highly capable AI model, leading to a drop in US tech stocks as investors questioned the massive investments poured into new AI infrastructure.

“I spoke with the National Security Council this morning. They are investigating what the national security implications might be,” Leavitt stated. She also reiterated comments made by President Donald Trump, who called DeepSeek’s progress a “wake-up call” for the US tech industry.

According to CNBC, the US Navy issued an internal email advising staff against using DeepSeek’s app due to apprehensions about the app’s origin and potential misuse. The Navy has not responded to requests for further comment.

David Sacks, the newly appointed “White House AI and crypto czar,” discussed the situation on Fox News, suggesting that DeepSeek may have utilized models developed by OpenAI to improve its technology. This approach, known as knowledge distillation, allows one AI model to learn from another.

“There’s credible evidence suggesting DeepSeek extracted knowledge from OpenAI’s models,” Sacks said. “In the coming months, leading AI companies may take steps to prevent distillation, which could slow down similar copycat efforts.”

OpenAI later echoed these concerns, noting that companies from China and elsewhere frequently attempt to extract information from leading US AI models. “As a leader in AI development, we employ countermeasures to protect our intellectual property,” the company said. “We firmly believe close collaboration with the US government is essential to safeguarding advanced AI models.”

DeepSeek, on the other hand, has claimed it is facing cyberattacks. Earlier this week, the company announced it would temporarily restrict new registrations due to “large-scale malicious attacks” targeting its software. A message on its website warns users that sign-ups might be delayed due to these attacks.

China’s state media outlet, Yuyuan Tantian, reported that DeepSeek has endured multiple cyberattacks in recent weeks, with the intensity escalating.

DeepSeek gained significant attention last week when its newest AI model drew widespread praise, and its chatbot app saw rapid downloads. The company’s sudden rise caused a temporary dip in US tech stock values, though many have since recovered.

The reported breakthrough has unsettled the US AI sector, which had long believed it was leading the race. Restrictions on China’s access to advanced semiconductor technology were thought to have solidified this lead.

Even though China has been ramping up investments in technology to diversify its economy, DeepSeek isn’t among the top Chinese companies previously seen as competitors to ChatGPT.

Experts argue that the US still holds an edge due to its dominance in semiconductor production but admit that DeepSeek’s methods and potential remain unclear.

During the market turbulence, President Trump described DeepSeek’s success as a “wake-up call” for the US technology sector but suggested the development could have its benefits.

“If it can be done more affordably while achieving the same results, that could actually work in our favor,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. He emphasized that he remains confident in the US’s leading position in AI innovation.

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