Australia bans DeepSeek on government devices over security risk

The Australian government has banned the installation and use of products from the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek on all its government devices and systems, citing security risks posed by the company's AI technology. This ban has a broad scope, designed to protect national security and prevent the leakage of sensitive information. It reflects a growing concern about the security implications of AI technologies developed by foreign entities.

DeepSeek launched a chatbot in January that rivaled its US competitors in performance but claimed significantly lower training costs, causing a global sensation. However, this technological breakthrough also raised concerns about data security and privacy, prompting some national governments to adopt a cautious approach. These concerns are not limited to DeepSeek but extend to other AI technologies as well.

The Australian government has made it clear that the ban does not stem from the application's Chinese background but because it poses an "unacceptable risk" to national security. The government requires all government agencies to "block the use or installation of DeepSeek's products, applications, and web services" and remove any previously installed programs. This decisive action underscores the government's commitment to safeguarding sensitive data and systems.

This ban means that government staff in various fields, including the Australian Electoral Commission and the Bureau of Meteorology, will be unable to use DeepSeek's tools. It is currently unclear whether the ban will extend to computers in other public sectors of the economy, such as schools. However, the ban does not apply to the devices of private citizens. The potential expansion of the ban highlights the far-reaching implications of these security concerns.

Kieren McCarthy of the cyber intelligence company Oxford Information Labs said, "Governments are increasingly taking this approach whenever security issues arise. This adds a political dimension to all new technologies and heralds the end of the era of technology being king." This perspective suggests a shift in how governments view and regulate emerging technologies.

Western countries have been cautious about Chinese technology, especially telecommunications company Huawei and social media platform TikTok, both of which have been restricted for national security reasons. DeepSeek's initial response seemed different, but it has since raised concerns. The Italian government previously temporarily blocked ChatGPT due to privacy issues, and DeepSeek's chatbot was also removed from app stores due to concerns about its privacy policy. This pattern of scrutiny reflects a broader trend of heightened vigilance toward AI technologies.

Regulatory agencies in South Korea, Ireland, and France have begun investigating how DeepSeek handles user data, which is stored on servers in China. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also stated that the United States is investigating potential security implications. The US Navy has reportedly banned its members from using DeepSeek, although this has not been confirmed to the BBC. These international investigations underscore the global concern surrounding DeepSeek's data practices.

Typically, AI tools analyze the prompts sent to them to improve their products. This is also true of applications including ChatGPT and Google Gemini. All of these tools collect and retain information, including email addresses and dates of birth. Security experts have previously warned that personnel working in classified or national security areas need to be aware that anything they enter into a chatbot has the potential to be retained and analyzed by the developers of these tools. This highlights the importance of understanding the data handling practices of AI tools.

DeepSeek also faces accusations of unfairly using American technology. OpenAI has complained that competitors, including those in China, are using its own work to rapidly advance their products. These accusations further exacerbate concerns about DeepSeek and have prompted governments to take a more cautious approach. The allegations of unfair use of technology add another layer of complexity to the ongoing scrutiny of DeepSeek.