The US government banned civilian federal agencies from using AI software from Chinese company Deepseek to protect sensitive data. The Department of Homeland Security ordered agencies to remove Deepseek products and software built on its open-source models, while also prohibiting future purchases. Washington cited concerns that Beijing could access sensitive government data through the tools.
In response, China criticized the decision as a stretch of national security concepts and demanded the ban be lifted, vowing to take resolute countermeasures. This protest comes even though China itself strictly blocks Western AI services like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini nationwide, requiring all local AI services to pass strict regulatory reviews and political guidelines since 2023.
The diplomatic clash highlights how both superpowers increasingly leverage national security arguments to protect their domestic technology markets and restrict foreign competitors. While China's outrage lacks consistency given its own sweeping domestic firewalls, Beijing's pushback serves as a political signal to support local companies and lay the groundwork for potential future retaliations in the ongoing US-China tech rivalry.