• Seven Republican lawmakers urge the U.S. Commerce Department to assess national security risks tied to DeepSeek, a Chinese open-source AI model.
  • Concerns include data privacy vulnerabilities, potential backdoors, and misuse by malicious actors, echoing past scrutiny of Chinese tech firms.
  • The request follows bans by U.S. agencies and allied governments, amid broader tensions over AI and cybersecurity.

Growing Scrutiny Over DeepSeek

Seven Republican lawmakers have formally requested the U.S. Commerce Department to evaluate potential national security threats posed by DeepSeek, a Chinese-developed open-source AI model. In a letter, the legislators highlighted risks such as data privacy breaches, embedded backdoors, and the model’s susceptibility to exploitation by cybercriminals and state-linked actors.

The move comes after security researchers and multiple government agencies, including the Pentagon and NASA, flagged DeepSeek’s vulnerabilities. Italy and Taiwan have already restricted its use, citing similar concerns. Analysts note that the model’s open-source nature—while enabling widespread adoption—has also made it a tool for generating malware and disinformation with minimal technical expertise.

A Broader Tech Cold War?

The push for a Commerce Department review reflects escalating U.S.-China tensions over technological dominance. DeepSeek’s rapid global uptake—despite its opaque financials and lack of Western-style safeguards—has drawn comparisons to past controversies involving Huawei and TikTok. Unlike those cases, however, researchers claim to have identified a deliberate backdoor in DeepSeek’s code, linking it to servers controlled by the Chinese government.

“This isn’t just about competition; it’s about preventing systemic vulnerabilities,” said one congressional staffer familiar with the matter. The lawmakers’ letter underscores bipartisan unease over AI models that could automate cyberattacks or exfiltrate sensitive data. Meanwhile, U.S. firms are under pressure to develop secure alternatives, with some analysts predicting tighter regulations on foreign AI imports.

What’s Next?

If the Commerce Department acts, DeepSeek could face restricted access in U.S. markets—a scenario that would align with recent European and Asian crackdowns. For now, the debate highlights the fragile balance between innovation and national security in the AI race. “The stakes couldn’t be higher,” the staffer added. “Every unchecked model is a potential attack vector.”