DeepSeek has swiftly transitioned from a little-known AI tool in China to a formidable player in the global AI market, raising alarms in the United States. The rapid ascent of this service has led to comparisons with TikTok, as lawmakers grow increasingly wary of potential risks, particularly regarding the transfer of sensitive data back to China. The predominant concern is the risk of proprietary information being compromised.Calls for a ban on DeepSeek on government devices have gained traction, primarily due to fears surrounding unauthorized access to sensitive data by the Chinese government. Key U.S. governmental agencies, including NASA, the U.S. Navy, and the state of Texas, have already imposed restrictions on the use of DeepSeek within their infrastructures.
DeepSeek's rise to fame can be attributed to its impressive AI functionalities, which have been compared to offerings from major U.S. companies such as OpenAI, Perplexity, and Google. Its initial availability at no cost helped catapult it to the top of app store rankings. DeepSeek is backed by a Chinese investment fund. Allegations have emerged that DeepSeek shares user data with an entity linked to the Chinese Communist Party, closely resembling the scrutiny faced by TikTok. While the debates surrounding TikTok continue, DeepSeek's situation presents a more alarming scenario, with security experts identifying code that appears to send user information to China Mobile, a state-owned telecom firm already banned from operating in the U.S.
