Congressman Darin LaHood from Illinois is spearheading a campaign to forbid the use of the Foreign artificial intelligence software DeepSeek on any national government equipment.
The Republican from Peoria joined U. S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, in introducing the” No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act”, which would prevent federal employees from using the software on government-owned electronic devices.
The lawmakers cited the Chinese government’s ability to use the software to spy on people and spread propaganda.
” From a national security point, we have to understand China is an attack, and when you look at this game, and you look at DeepSeek, and the immediate connection to the CCP – the Communist Chinese Party – that’s deeply troubling to me, and Congressman Gottheimer, and a number of other people”, said LaHood, who is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Additionally, security experts and the Trump administration have expressed concerns that DeepSeek’s technology may pose a threat to American national security.
According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the National Security Council ( NSC ) will examine potential implications for national security from DeepSeek, adding that the administration will “ensure American AI dominance.”
Several members of Congress have expressed concern about DeepSeek’s ability to reach American people.
U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich. ), who chairs the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, stated in a statement on social media that” the United States cannot allow Chinese Communist Party models like DeepSeek to risk our national security and use our technology to advance their AI ambitions. ” We must work to quickly spot stronger export settings on technology critical to DeepSeek’s Artificial system”.
DeepSeek has already been prohibited on federal devices in India, Australia, and South Korea.
The game shook other people’s nerves last week on Wall Street, as worries that China may be catching up with the United States in the AI competition sent tech stocks down.
The China and U. S. are in an arms race over AI, and DeepSeek’s technology uses superior computer chips that cost 20 to 30 times less than leading American firms.
DeepSeek’s entry in the U. S. on Jan. 17 saw it quickly become the most downloaded free apps on Apple Store. California-based Nvidia, which makes chips that strength AI, lost$ 593 billion in market value on the same day, the biggest one-day reduction in history.