US Lawmakers Ban DeepSeek AI

US lawmakers, led by Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, have introduced a bipartisan bill to ban the Chinese artificial intelligence program DeepSeek from government devices. This action follows a report by Feroot Security, which found hidden code in DeepSeek's AI model capable of transmitting user data to China Mobile, a state-owned telecommunications firm. The lawmakers cite an "alarming threat to US national security" and "direct ties" between DeepSeek and the Chinese government. This move comes as DeepSeek, a Chinese startup, recently disrupted the global AI industry with its low-cost, high-quality chatbot, challenging the lead of the United States in AI development. Other countries, including South Korea and Australia, have also taken steps to block or ban DeepSeek from government systems, while France and Italy have raised concerns about its data practices. The situation is part of a broader trend of US scrutiny on Chinese tech companies, exemplified by the ongoing legal battle faced by ByteDance — TikTok Shop and its owner ByteDance.