Australia bans DeepSeek on government devices over security concerns

Australia has issued an immediate ban on the use of DeepSeek across all government devices over security concerns.

According to Reuters, the directive which was announced on Tuesday by the department of home affairs, mandates the removal of all DeepSeek products, applications, and web services from Australian government systems.

Tony Burke, minister for home affairs, described DeepSeek as an “unacceptable risk” to government technology.

He added that the ban is essential to “protect Australia’s national security and national interest”.

The restriction, however, does not extend to private citizens.

Australia joins a growing list of nations scrutinising DeepSeek over potential security threats.

Italy’s privacy regulator recently blocked the AI service after the Chinese company failed to address concerns about its data policies.

Taiwan has also issued warnings about the risks of cross-border data transmission and potential information leaks.

Also, regulators in South Korea, Ireland, and France have launched investigations into DeepSeek’s data-handling practices.

DeepSeek rose to global prominence with the release of its open-source AI platform, which showcased advanced human-like reasoning.

In January, it surpassed OpenAI’s Chatgpt as the most downloaded free app on the Apple store.

DeepSeek’s rise disrupted the global tech landscape and the financial markets.

Nvidia, the maker of the chip used in DeepSeek, saw its market valuation drop by $500 billion as the stock market reacted negatively to the Chinese app’s emergence.

Following the impact of DeepSeek in the American stock market, US President Donald Trump acknowledged China’s AI progress but framed it as a “wake-up call” for American tech companies.

He urged the US industry to ramp up innovation and competition to maintain leadership in the global AI race.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, recently revealed the US is also looking into possible national security implications of the chatbot.