The U.S. Department of Commerce has notified its staff in recent weeks that the Chinese AI model DeepSeek is prohibited from use on government devices, as confirmed by a message obtained by Reuters and two knowledgeable sources.
One internal email to employees stated, “To help keep Department of Commerce information systems safe, access to the new Chinese-based AI DeepSeek is broadly prohibited on all GFE.” Staff were advised against downloading, viewing, or accessing any applications, desktop software, or websites linked to DeepSeek.
The Commerce department has not provided an immediate comment on the matter.
It remains unclear how extensive the ban is across the wider U.S. government.
DeepSeek’s affordable AI models led to significant turmoil in global equity markets in January, raising investor concerns about the potential impact on the United States’ competitive edge in AI technology.
U.S. officials and congressional members have raised alarms regarding the implications of DeepSeek on data privacy and the safeguarding of sensitive government information.
In February, Congressmen Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, who serve on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, proposed legislation aimed at banning DeepSeek usage on government devices. They subsequently reached out to U.S. governors earlier this month, advocating for the prohibition of the Chinese AI application on government-issued equipment.
The lawmakers stated in a letter dated March 3, “By using DeepSeek, users are unknowingly sharing highly sensitive, proprietary information with the CCP — such as contracts, documents, and financial records. In the wrong hands, this data is an enormous asset to the CCP, a known foreign adversary.”
Several states, including Virginia, Texas, and New York, have already imposed bans on the model for government devices. Additionally, a coalition of 21 state attorneys general has called on Congress to enact corresponding legislation.
© Thomson Reuters 2025
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