THE United States has banned the Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek from civilian government agency systems. The Department of Homeland Security issued an order requiring federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek-related technology from their IT environments and to stop procuring any DeepSeek products or services. The prohibition covers not only DeepSeek software itself but also third‑party products and services that were developed using the company’s technology.
The move, announced amid rising U.S.–China tensions over AI and tech leadership, targets DeepSeek’s presence in federal civilian IT infrastructure. China’s foreign ministry stated it would safeguard the rights and interests of its companies in response. The ban appears to be a formal government action rather than an isolated advisory, with coverage echoed by major outlets such as CNBC. The scope is limited to federal civilian agencies; it does not mention military or national security agencies, at least in the material provided.