House bill seeks to block DeepSeek on federal devices

Mounting security concerns surrounding the Chinese artificial intelligence platform DeepSeek have prompted Reps. Josh Gottenheimer, D-N.J., and Darin LaHood, R-Ill., to unveil new legislation that would prohibit the Chinese AI app's usage in government-issued devices, reports The Associated Press.

DeepSeek could be exploited by the Chinese government to facilitate surveillance and misinformation operations, according to the bipartisan bill, which also moves to prohibit any AI apps developed by DeepSeek's parent firm High-Flyer while offering exemptions for research and national security purposes. "Americans should know the impact on their personal privacy and data, especially because we know that Americans are sharing proprietary information on AI chatbots, highly sensitive information, documents, contracts, and the like," said Gottenheimer, who recommended additional Congressional probes on the capabilities of DeepSeek. Such a development comes after DeepSeek and Chinese TikTok alternative RedNote were prohibited by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott across all state-issued devices. Similar DeepSeek bans on government devices have also been implemented by Italy, Taiwan, and Australia.