House Lawmakers Push to Ban AI App DeepSeek Over National Security Concerns

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is urging the Biden administration to ban the Chinese AI application DeepSeek, citing national security concerns. The legislators argue that DeepSeek, developed by Beijing Xingzhiyi Technology, poses similar risks to those that led to actions against Chinese-owned TikTok. The lawmakers, led by Reps. Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi, claim the app could collect sensitive data from American users and potentially share it with the Chinese government. They emphasize that DeepSeek’s AI capabilities, including its large language model that rivals ChatGPT, could be used to gather intelligence and manipulate information. The representatives point out that Chinese laws require companies to share data with their government when requested, making DeepSeek a potential conduit for surveillance and data collection. The lawmakers’ letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo requests that DeepSeek be added to the Commerce Department’s Entity List, which would effectively ban U.S. companies from doing business with it. This push reflects growing concerns about Chinese AI applications and their potential impact on national security, particularly as AI technology becomes more sophisticated and capable of processing vast amounts of user data. The initiative aligns with broader efforts to scrutinize and regulate Chinese technology companies operating in the United States.

Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/house-lawmakers-push-ban-ai-app-deepseek-us-118536771