Australia Bans DeepSeek from Government Devices Over Security Risks
The Australian government has banned DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup, from all government devices and systems, citing national security concerns. The decision follows heightened scrutiny over Chinese technology firms and their potential risks to data security.
DeepSeek made headlines in January after unveiling a chatbot that rivaled US competitors while boasting lower training costs. The release sent shockwaves through global stock markets, wiping billions of dollars off AI-related stocks, including Australian chipmaker Brainchip, which suffered a sharp overnight decline.
Despite speculation about geopolitical tensions, Australian officials maintain that the ban is not based on DeepSeek’s Chinese origins but rather the “unacceptable risk” it poses. The restriction requires all government entities to prevent the installation or use of DeepSeek applications, services, and products. Any pre-existing installations must be removed from government devices and systems.
This sweeping move affects a broad spectrum of public sector workers, including those in the Australian Electoral Commission and the Bureau of Meteorology. However, it remains unclear whether the ban will extend to public sector computers in schools and other non-federal areas. Notably, the prohibition does not apply to private citizens’ devices.
Western governments have historically been wary of Chinese technology firms, as seen in restrictions placed on Huawei and TikTok over national security concerns. DeepSeek initially appeared to buck that trend, quickly becoming the most downloaded free app in the UK and US. President Donald Trump even described its emergence as a “wake-up call” for the US, potentially reducing AI costs.
However, skepticism about DeepSeek has since grown. In January, an Australian science minister warned that the chatbot raised serious “data and privacy” concerns. Italy removed DeepSeek from app stores following questions about its privacy policy, while South Korea, Ireland, and France have launched investigations into its data practices. The White House has also initiated a security review of the tool, with reports suggesting the US Navy has prohibited its use among personnel. AI applications like DeepSeek, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini routinely analyze user prompts to refine their services. However, cybersecurity experts caution against inputting sensitive information into AI models, as such data may be retained and examined by developers. DeepSeek has also faced allegations of unfairly leveraging US technology, with OpenAI accusing Chinese competitors of using its research to accelerate development.
