Chinese AI Pioneer DeepSeek Criticized as Threat to US National Security
A congressional committee has identified Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek as a “profound threat” to US national security, citing its close ties to the Communist Party and alleged data siphoning from the US to China.
The committee’s report, published on Wednesday, described DeepSeek as being “designed to unlawfully undermine US technological leadership and critical American policies to protect national security.” The company is said to have connections to military research and strategic labs, including the Zhejiang Lab, which plays a significant role in advancing China’s scientific and technological capabilities.
According to the report, DeepSeek’s operations funnel American user data back to China through “back-end infrastructure connected to China Mobile,” a state-owned company described as “military-related” by the committee. The report also noted that DeepSeek integrates “tracking tools” from other Chinese tech giants such as ByteDance, labeled as “foreign adversary-controlled,” and Tencent, designated as a Chinese military company by the Pentagon.
The committee has called on Nvidia, a leading chip manufacturer, to provide information about its customers and dealings with DeepSeek. This move underscores growing concerns about the national security implications of US-China technological collaboration.
DeepSeek is accused of creating security vulnerabilities for its users while covertly censoring and manipulating information in accordance with Chinese law. The company’s actions have raised alarms about the potential risks associated with Chinese AI development and its impact on US national security.
