RNS: Australia has become the latest country to ban the use of the Chinese-developed AI chatbot DeepSeek, citing national security risks. The Australian government emphasized that the decision was based on security concerns, not the app’s Chinese origins, as reported by BBC.
The ban applies to all government entities, which are now required to prevent the use, installation, or continuation of DeepSeek products, applications, and web services on any government systems or devices. Any previously installed versions must be removed. However, the ban does not extend to private users, allowing the general public to continue using the chatbot.
Kieren McCarthy from Oxford Information Labs told BBC that such actions are becoming more common as governments address security concerns around foreign technology.
DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company based in Hangzhou, has gained significant attention due to its chatbot’s low cost and high performance, sparking competition and concern in the Western tech industry. The chatbot has become one of the most downloaded free apps on Apple’s store since its recent launch in the US.
The app has already faced scrutiny in other countries; it was removed from app stores in Italy after privacy concerns, and regulators in South Korea, Ireland, and France have begun investigations into how DeepSeek handles user data stored in China.
