Experts are urging caution regarding the use of DeepSeek, a new AI chatbot developed by a Chinese startup, amid growing concerns about national security. Launched in January 2025, DeepSeek has quickly gained popularity, surpassing established competitors like ChatGPT due to its low cost and performance. However, it has been noted that DeepSeek censors responses to sensitive topics related to China, echoing state narratives, which raises alarms among US and Australian officials who fear potential risks associated with the technology. The US Navy has even banned its personnel from using the app as part of broader scrutiny over China’s advancements in AI technology, prompting discussions about the implications for global AI competition and security.

Editor’s Note: The rising scrutiny of DeepSee highlights a broader issue of privacy across AI platforms, including Western models like ChatGPT and Gemini. While experts express alarm over DeepSeek’s data collection practices—storing user interactions on Chinese servers and censoring sensitive topics—similar concerns apply to Western AI systems, which also gather extensive user data and have faced criticism for their own biases and censorship. The selective focus on DeepSeek may stem from geopolitical tensions, as Western experts often perceive Chinese technology as a direct threat to national security, overlooking that platforms like ChatGPT are also trained on data that reflects specific ideological biases and engage in censorship.

This disparity illustrates the complex interplay of technology, politics, and privacy, suggesting that users must navigate a landscape where their data is commodified regardless of the source, raising questions about who truly safeguards user privacy and under what political motivations. [Also read China’s Deep Seek Threatens US’ AI Ambitions].

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