Pentagon Blocks Chinese AI Chatbot DeepSeek Over National Security Concerns

Pentagon scrambles to block DeepSeek after employees connect to Chinese servers | TechCrunch

DeepSeek's terms of service explicitly states it stores user data on Chinese servers and that it governs that data under Chinese law -- which mandates cooperation with the country's intelligence agencies. But that didn't stop U.S. Department of Defense workers from getting caught up in the DeepSeek hype this week and connecting their work computers to Chinese servers, using the service for at least two days, Bloomberg reported. The Pentagon has since started blocking DeepSeek on some of its network, although some employees could still access the service, according to Bloomberg. The U.S. government is grappling with the national security implications of soaring interest in the Chinese AI chatbot, which has climbed to the top of both the U.S. Apple and Play stores. On January 24, the U.S. Navy banned employees from accessing DeepSeek over security and ethical concerns, CNBC reported.

Pentagon Blocks DeepSeek AI Over Security Concerns Tied to Chinese Servers

U.S. Defense Department Acts Against Chinese AI Chatbot DeepSeek The Pentagon has blocked access to DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot, over national security concerns linked to its data storage on Chinese servers. The move comes after reports that U.S. Department of Defense employees accessed the chatbot on government computers, raising alarms over potential data exposure. The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) swiftly intervened, reflecting growing U.S. scrutiny of Chinese AI tools and their compliance with Beijing's data laws. While some employees were still able to use the service, late Tuesday, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) -- which manages the Pentagon's IT networks -- began blocking access to . These actions show that the U.S. government is increasingly taking a closer look at Chinese AI technology, particularly by maintaining the security of data and the risk of misuse of sensitive information.

DeepSeek's Chatbot Was Being Used By Pentagon Employees For At Least Two Days Before The Service Was Pulled From The Network; Early Version Has Been Downloaded Since Fall 2024

The astronomical rise of DeepSeek will always benefit its popularity, but there is no denying that leading governments of the world have started to display worry over users showing preference to the service. In fact, according to the latest report, Pentagon workers were playing around with the company's chatbot for around two days before the activity was discovered, forcing the authorities to ban the use of DeepSeek on the Department of Defense's servers. A defence official familiar with what was happening inside the Pentagon states the Defense Information Systems Agency, which is responsible for the IT networks, blocked access to DeepSeeks' website on late Tuesday. As reported by Bloomberg, employees were using the service for two days before this discovery was made, prompting swift action. Whether the Pentagon workers have been reprimanded for their recent act, they might want to exercise caution because DeepSeek's privacy policy clearly mentions that it stores user data on its Chinese servers. This privacy policy was likely noticed by Italian privacy watchdog Garante, who issued DeepSeek and its affiliated companies some questions related to GDPR compliance and gave the company 20 days to respond. Shortly after, the DeepSeek app was removed from Italy's Apple and Google app stores, with no update on whether the service will be restored in the near future. On Wednesday, when Pentagon employees attempted to access DeepSeek, their work displays showed a sign saying 'Website Blocked.' The Department of Defense's IT experts are still circulating and gathering information on the extent of DeepSeek's usage. According to Business Standard, U.S. military personnel had downloaded an early release of DeepSeek's code on their workstations in the fall of 2024, but at the time, there were no concerns raised about these downloads because the AI startup's connection with China was unclear. These military services are now scrambling to find and remove code from Chinese-based chatbots that ran on separate machines. Unfortunately, that has not stopped thousands of personnel from accessing DeepSeek through Ask Sage, an authorized software platform that does not connect with Chinese servers. Our gut feeling is that the pace at which DeepSeek is growing will eventually receive the ban hammer from the U.S. government, with the latter likely pressuring their local billion-dollar entities to push towards making more capable AI models while exercising financial efficiency.