US Commerce Department Bureaus Ban Chinese AI Model DeepSeek on Government Devices

US Commerce department bureaus ban China's DeepSeek on government devices, sources say

March 17 (Reuters) - U.S. Commerce department bureaus informed staffers in recent weeks that Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek is banned on their government devices, according to a message seen by Reuters and two people familiar with the matter. "To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE," said one mass email to staffers about their government-furnished equipment. "Do not download, view, access any applications, desktop apps or websites related to DeepSeek." The Commerce department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not immediately determine the extent of the ban throughout the U.S. government. DeepSeek's low-cost AI models sparked a major selloff in global equity markets in January, as investors worried about the threat to the United States' lead in AI. U.S. officials and members of Congress have expressed concerns about the threat of DeepSeek to data privacy and sensitive government information. Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in February introduced legislation to ban DeepSeek on government devices. Earlier this month, they sent letters to U.S. governors urging them to ban the Chinese AI app on government-issued equipment. "By using DeepSeek, users are unknowingly sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with the CCP -- such as contracts, documents, and financial records," the lawmakers wrote in a March 3 letter, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. "In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary." Numerous states have banned the model from government devices, including Virginia, Texas and New York, and a coalition of 21 state attorneys general has urged Congress to pass legislation. Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Additional reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Editing by Jamie Freed Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Boards, Policy & Regulation

Commerce Department divisions reportedly ban DeepSeek from government devices

Several states have banned the chatbot on their equipment as well. Several Department of Commerce bureaus are said to have told staff not to use DeepSeek's AI chatbot on government devices. "To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all [government-furnished equipment]," one bureau told staff in an email, reports. "Do not download, view, access any applications, desktop apps or websites related to DeepSeek." The extent of any DeepSeek ban within the government as a whole is not yet known. Several states -- including New York, Texas and Virginia -- have banned DeepSeek from government devices. and state attorneys general have pushed for legislation to prohibit the generative AI app on federal devices amid concerns over privacy and the security of government data. The emergence of DeepSeek in January as a lower-cost and open-source AI model that can compete with those from the likes of OpenAI and Google saw US tech stocks take a significant hit. The DeekSeek app . OpenAI and said that it was looking into DeepSeek, among others. The company this month claimed DeepSeek was "state-subsidized" and "state-controlled," and on US government, military and intelligence devices.

More US government departments ban controversial AI model DeepSeek

Staff at the US Department of Commerce have been banned from using the Chinese AI model on government-issued devices. According to Reuters, employees are forbidden from downloading, viewing, accessing applications, desktop apps, or websites related to DeepSeek. "To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE," said a mass email to employees regarding their government-furnished equipment. Data privacy concerns The chatbot has also been banned by the US Navy, which has asked staff to avoid using it in "any capacity" due to "potential security and ethical concerns associated with the model's origin and usage". Large Language Models like DeepSeek collect huge amounts of personal information, and scrape the web to collect vast amounts of data in training the model, which has led states banning the tool, such as Italy's data protection authority blocking the model over privacy concerns, finding the information given to regulators 'totally insufficient'. In February 2025, a bipartisan bill was introduced into the US Congress aiming to "protect Americans from DeepSeek" by banning the AI on all government devices for federal employees. "The Chinese Communist Party has made it abundantly clear that it will exploit any tool at its disposal to undermine our national security, spew harmful disinformation, and collect data on Americans," said Congressman Josh Gottheimer. "Now, we have deeply disturbing evidence that they are using DeepSeek to steal the sensitive data of U.S. citizens. This is a five alarm national security fire. We must get to the bottom of DeepSeek's malign activities. We simply can't risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security." You might also like

US Commerce Department Bureaus Ban China's DeepSeek on Government Devices, Sources Say

(Reuters) - U.S. Commerce department bureaus informed staffers in recent weeks that Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek is banned on their government devices, according to a message seen by Reuters and two people familiar with the matter. "To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE," said one mass email to staffers about their government-furnished equipment. "Do not download, view, access any applications, desktop apps or websites related to DeepSeek." The Commerce department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not immediately determine the extent of the ban throughout the U.S. government. DeepSeek's low-cost AI models sparked a major selloff in global equity markets in January, as investors worried about the threat to the United States' lead in AI. U.S. officials and members of Congress have expressed concerns about the threat of DeepSeek to data privacy and sensitive government information. Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in February introduced legislation to ban DeepSeek on government devices. Earlier this month, they sent letters to U.S. governors urging them to ban the Chinese AI app on government-issued equipment. "By using DeepSeek, users are unknowingly sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with the CCP -- such as contracts, documents, and financial records," the lawmakers wrote in a March 3 letter, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. "In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary." Numerous states have banned the model from government devices, including Virginia, Texas and New York, and a coalition of 21 state attorneys general has urged Congress to pass legislation. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Additional reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Editing by Jamie Freed)

US Commerce Agencies Said to Have Banned DeepSeek on Official Devices

Numerous US states have banned the model from government devices US Commerce department bureaus informed staffers in recent weeks that Chinese Artificial Intelligence (AI) model DeepSeek is banned on their government devices, according to a message seen by Reuters and two people familiar with the matter. "To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE," said one mass email to staffers about their government-furnished equipment. "Do not download, view, access any applications, desktop apps or websites related to DeepSeek." The Commerce department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not immediately determine the extent of the ban throughout the US government. DeepSeek's low-cost AI models sparked a major selloff in global equity markets in January, as investors worried about the threat to the United States' lead in AI. US officials and members of Congress have expressed concerns about the threat of DeepSeek to data privacy and sensitive government information. Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in February introduced legislation to ban DeepSeek on government devices. Earlier this month, they sent letters to US governors urging them to ban the Chinese AI app on government-issued equipment. "By using DeepSeek, users are unknowingly sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with the CCP -- such as contracts, documents, and financial records," the lawmakers wrote in a March 3 letter, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. "In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary." Numerous states have banned the model from government devices, including Virginia, Texas and New York, and a coalition of 21 state attorneys general has urged Congress to pass legislation. © Thomson Reuters 2025

US Commerce department bureaus ban China's DeepSeek on government devices, sources say

"To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE," said one mass email to staffers about their government-furnished equipment.U.S. Commerce department bureaus informed staffers in recent weeks that Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek is banned on their government devices, according to a message seen by Reuters and two people familiar with the matter. "To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE," said one mass email to staffers about their government-furnished equipment. "Do not download, view, access any applications, desktop apps or websites related to DeepSeek." The Commerce department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not immediately determine the extent of the ban throughout the U.S. government. DeepSeek's low-cost AI models sparked a major selloff in global equity markets in January, as investors worried about the threat to the United States' lead in AI. U.S. officials and members of Congress have expressed concerns about the threat of DeepSeek to data privacy and sensitive government information. Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in February introduced legislation to ban DeepSeek on government devices. Earlier this month, they sent letters to U.S. governors urging them to ban the Chinese AI app on government-issued equipment. "By using DeepSeek, users are unknowingly sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with the CCP - such as contracts, documents, and financial records," the lawmakers wrote in a March 3 letter, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. "In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary." Numerous states have banned the model from government devices, including Virginia, Texas and New York, and a coalition of 21 state attorneys general has urged Congress to pass legislation.

China's DeepSeek Sparks National Security Alarm: 'Do Not Download, View, Access Any Applications...'

Enter your email to get Benzinga's ultimate morning update: The PreMarket Activity Newsletter The U.S. Commerce Department has reportedly banned Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek on government devices. What Happened: In recent weeks, several bureaus within the U.S. Department of Commerce issued internal communications warning staff not to use DeepSeek AI on government-furnished equipment, also known as GFE, reported Reuters, citing a message and two people familiar with the matter. "To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese-based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE," said one department-wide email. "Do not download, view, access any applications, desktop apps or websites related to DeepSeek." See Also: Apple Supplier Foxconn's Efforts To Make iPhones In India Thwarted By Tech And Talent Exports: Report It remains unclear how widespread the ban is within other parts of the U.S. government. Why It's Important: The move follows rising alarm over the potential risks posed by Chinese AI tools accessing sensitive government data. In January, DeepSeek's release triggered a wave of concern in global markets due to its low-cost capabilities and its potential to challenge U.S. dominance. Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox. Several states, including Virginia, Texas, and New York, have already implemented bans on the use of DeepSeek on government equipment, the report noted. A coalition of 21 state attorneys general has also called on Congress to pass federal legislation barring the model. In February, Taiwan also banned DeepSeek AI. Similarly, South Korea and Italy have halted new downloads of the app due to privacy issues. Image via Shutterstock Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link. Read Next: Elon Musk's $97.4 Billion OpenAI Takeover Bid Reportedly Not Received By ChatGPT Parent: 'Another One Of His Tactics,' Says Sam Altman Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Report: Commerce Department Bans Use of DeepSeek on Government Devices | PYMNTS.com

The Department of Commerce has reportedly banned the use of DeepSeek's artificial intelligence (AI) model on government-furnished equipment, citing concerns about the Chinese company gaining access to sensitive information. The Department sent a mass email to staffers telling them not to download, view or access any mobile apps, desktop apps or websites tied to DeepSeek, Reuters reported Monday (March 17). The Commerce Department did not immediately reply to PYMNTS' request for comment. Other U.S. officials, members of Congress and states have expressed similar concerns about DeepSeek, according to the report. New York, Virginia and Texas have banned DeepSeek from government devices. Two U.S. lawmakers -- Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Illinois, and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-New Jersey -- introduced legislation to outlaw DeepSeek on government devices on Feb. 6. In a Feb. 6 press release, the lawmakers cited research that found that DeepSeek's code is directly linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and that it can share user data with Chinese-government owned China Mobile, which has been banned for use in the U.S. Other countries have banned or considered banning DeepSeek on government devices. Australia, Italy and Taiwan have already implemented a ban, and France, South Korea, Ireland and Belgium are considering doing so, The Wall Street Journal reported Feb. 6. South Korea's intelligence agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), said that DeepSeek differs from other generative AI platforms by not only storing user chat records but also collecting keyboard input patterns, which could potentially identify individuals, Reuters reported in February. The agency warned that this data is transmitted to Chinese servers linked to companies such as volceapplog.com. Cybersecurity company AppSOC said Feb. 11 that its testing unearthed series threats from DeepSeek's AI model, including making it easy to for users to generate viruses and malware, producing hallucinations and generating "responses with toxic or harmful language, indicating poor safeguards." "These issues collectively led AppSOC researchers to issue a stark warning: DeepSeek R-1 should not be deployed for any enterprise use cases, especially those involving sensitive data or intellectual property," AppSOC Co-founder and Chief Scientist Mali Gorantla wrote in a Feb. 11 blog post.

US Commerce Department Bans Chinese AI DeepSeek on Government Devices Following Texas' Lead

After Texas became the first state to ban DeepSeek on government devices in January, the U.S. Department of Commerce has followed suit. If DeepSeek follows the trajectory of TikTok and other Chinese apps, the Commerce Department's prohibition could foreshadow a wider ban. DeepSeek Ban Gathers Momentum Although Texas Governor Greg Abbott made the first state-level move to ban DeepSeek on official devices, his peers in Virginia and New York have issued similar orders since. Back in 2022, Abbott was among the first state governors to crack down on TikTok. His latest order also named other Chinese-owned apps including RedNote, Webull, Moomoo and Lemon8. Justifying the ban on national security grounds, the three State Governors all cited the risk of exposing sensitive information to the Chinese government. National Security Concerns In Washington, Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood have petitioned governors to ban DeepSeek and introduced a bill that would prohibit the AI app across the government. "We have deeply disturbing evidence that the [Chinese Communist Party] could use DeepSeek to steal the sensitive data of U.S. citizens," the members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence stated. Commerce Department First Agency to Adopt Ban While Gottheimer and LaHood's bill proposes all executive agencies prohibit staffers from using DeepSeek on official devices, the Commerce Department has led the charge. "To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese-based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all [government-furnished equipment] an email to staff, reported by Reuters , stated. If DeepSeek follows the same trajectory as TikTok in the U.S., other agencies could soon fall in line. By the time Donald Trump issued an executive order barring TikTok from government devices in August 2020, the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, and the United States Armed Forces had already done so. Government bans presumably don't apply to AI developers who run models locally on their own hardware, as this doesn't expose data in the same way, however, they could impact AI apps that use DeepSeek models via an Application Programming Interface (API).

US Government bans DeepSeek on Government devices

Disclaimer: This content generated by AI & may have errors or hallucinations. Edit before use. Read our Terms of use The United States Department of Commerce has prohibited employees from using the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) model DeepSeek on government-furnished devices, citing cybersecurity concerns, as per a Reuters report. According to a message seen by Reuters and two people familiar with the matter, employees were informed in recent weeks through an internal email, warning them against accessing or downloading DeepSeek-related applications or websites. "To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese-based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE," the email stated, referring to government-furnished equipment. The message further instructed employees not to "download, view, or access any applications, desktop apps, or websites related to DeepSeek." The Commerce Department has not yet issued a public statement regarding the ban, and it remains unclear whether other federal agencies are implementing similar restrictions. DeepSeek has drawn increasing scrutiny from Government officials in the US, with concerns that its AI models could pose risks to data security. Lawmakers have warned that using DeepSeek could inadvertently expose sensitive government information to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, have been vocal about the potential risks. In February, they introduced legislation to prohibit DeepSeek from government devices. Earlier this month, they sent letters to U.S. governors urging them to take similar action at the state level. "By using DeepSeek, users are unknowingly sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with the CCP -- such as contracts, documents, and financial records," the lawmakers wrote in a March 3 letter. "In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary." Several states have already moved ahead with their own restrictions. Virginia, Texas, and New York have banned DeepSeek from government-issued devices, and a coalition of 21 state attorneys general has called on Congress to take legislative action against the AI model. DeepSeek first attracted widespread coverage back in January this year after its low-cost AI models triggered a significant selloff in the global stock market. Investors reacted with concern over how the Chinese AI firm's rapid growth could challenge the dominance of U.S. technology companies, particularly in the AI sector. As federal agencies continue to assess potential risks posed by Chinese AI models, further restrictions on DeepSeek or similar applications could follow. Meanwhile, lawmakers are pushing for broader legislation that could limit China's access to AI and data technologies, reinforcing ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing in the tech sector.

US Commerce department bans Chinese AI DeepSeek on govt devices - Reuters By Investing.com

Investing.com-- The U.S. Commerce Department has prohibited access to the Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek on government-issued devices, Reuters reported on Monday citing an internal message and sources familiar with the matter. The Commerce Department informed staff that access was broadly restricted as part of efforts to protect its information systems, a department-wide email stated, according to Reuters. Staffers were instructed not to download, view, or access any applications or websites related to DeepSeek on their government-furnished equipment, Reuters reported. The extent of the ban across federal agencies remains unclear, the report stated. However, the move follows growing concerns from U.S. lawmakers and officials over national security risks posed by DeepSeek, particularly regarding data privacy and sensitive government information, Reuters reported. Several states, including Virginia, Texas, and New York, have already restricted the use of DeepSeek, while a coalition of 21 state attorneys general has pushed for a nationwide ban, the report added.

US Commerce department bureaus ban China's DeepSeek on government devices, sources say

(Reuters) - U.S. Commerce department bureaus informed staffers in recent weeks that Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek is banned on their government devices, according to a message seen by Reuters and two people familiar with the matter. "To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE," said one mass email to staffers about their government-furnished equipment. "Do not download, view, access any applications, desktop apps or websites related to DeepSeek." The Commerce department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not immediately determine the extent of the ban throughout the U.S. government. DeepSeek's low-cost AI models sparked a major selloff in global equity markets in January, as investors worried about the threat to the United States' lead in AI. U.S. officials and members of Congress have expressed concerns about the threat of DeepSeek to data privacy and sensitive government information. Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in February introduced legislation to ban DeepSeek on government devices. Earlier this month, they sent letters to U.S. governors urging them to ban the Chinese AI app on government-issued equipment. "By using DeepSeek, users are unknowingly sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with the CCP -- such as contracts, documents, and financial records," the lawmakers wrote in a March 3 letter, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. "In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary." Numerous states have banned the model from government devices, including Virginia, Texas and New York, and a coalition of 21 state attorneys general has urged Congress to pass legislation. (Reporting by Karen Freifeld; Additional reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Editing by Jamie Freed)