'This is increasingly the approach adopted by governments whenever there is any question over security'
The Australian government has banned the use of DeepSeek on all government devices and systems, citing concerns over national security risks posed by the Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup.
DeepSeek gained global attention in January when it introduced a chatbot that reportedly matched the performance of its U.S. competitors while boasting significantly lower training costs.
The announcement triggered a major reaction in financial markets, with billions of dollars wiped off AI-related stocks worldwide, including in Australia, where companies like chipmaker Brainchip saw sharp declines, says the BBC.
Despite speculation about the role of DeepSeek’s Chinese origins in the decision, Australian officials emphasized that the ban was based solely on security concerns.
The ban prohibits any government agencies from installing or using DeepSeek’s products, applications, or web services. It also mandates the removal of any previously installed instances from government systems and devices.
The decision affects workers across various government sectors, says the BBC, including the Australian Electoral Commission and the Bureau of Meteorology. However, it remains unclear whether the ban will extend to government-affiliated public sector entities, such as schools.
Private citizens are not impacted by the restriction.
"This is increasingly the approach adopted by governments whenever there is any question over security," said Kieren McCarthy of cyber intelligence firm Oxford Information Labs, in the article. "It adds a political dimension to all new tech and heralds an end to the days when technology was king."
The ban reflects broader concerns in Western countries over Chinese technology. Previous cases include restrictions on telecoms giant Huawei and social media platform TikTok, both of which have faced national security-related bans in multiple countries.
Initially, DeepSeek’s launch was met with cautious optimism. Former U.S. President Donald Trump described the chatbot’s capabilities as a "wake-up call" for the U.S., suggesting that lower AI costs could be beneficial, says the BBC.
However, skepticism about DeepSeek has grown. Australian officials raised concerns in January, with one science minister warning that nations should be "very careful" about the chatbot, particularly regarding data privacy risks.
Similar concerns have emerged elsewhere:
Reports also suggest that the U.S. Navy has banned its personnel from using DeepSeek, says the BBC, although officials have not confirmed this publicly.
