The U.S. Commerce Department has prohibited staff from using the Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek on government-issued devices, according to a message seen by Reuters and sources familiar with the matter.

A department-wide email warned employees against engaging with DeepSeek in any form:

"To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese-based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE (government-furnished equipment). Do not download, view, or access any applications, desktop apps, or websites related to DeepSeek."

The Commerce Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the extent of the ban across the entire U.S. government remains unclear.

Growing Concerns Over DeepSeek’s Impact

DeepSeek gained international attention in January 2025, when its low-cost AI models triggered a major selloff in global equity markets, raising concerns about China’s increasing competition in artificial intelligence.

U.S. officials and lawmakers have expressed strong concerns about DeepSeek's potential risks, particularly regarding data privacy and national security.

  • Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced legislation in February to ban DeepSeek from all government devices.
  • Earlier this month, they sent letters to U.S. governors, urging them to prohibit the AI model on state-issued equipment.

“By using DeepSeek, users are unknowingly sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with the CCP—such as contracts, documents, and financial records,” the lawmakers warned in a March 3 letter, referring to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). “In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary.”

State-Level Bans and Legislative Push

Several U.S. states have already banned DeepSeek from government devices, including:

  • Virginia
  • Texas
  • New York

Additionally, 21 state attorneys general have called on Congress to pass federal legislation restricting the use of the Chinese AI model.

As concerns over data security and foreign influence continue to mount, the DeepSeek ban reflects broader U.S. efforts to safeguard sensitive government information from potential cybersecurity threats posed by Chinese AI technologies.