U.S. Senators Raise Alarm over Chinese AI Firm DeepSeek Amid Growing Security Concerns

A group of Republican lawmakers, led by Senator Ted Budd, is urging the U.S. government to launch a formal investigation into Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek. They are concerned that its open-source AI model, known as R1, could be leaking sensitive data from American users and potentially assisting Chinese military or surveillance operations. In a letter sent on August 1 to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the senators warned that R1 poses a significant risk due to its open architecture and lack of regulatory oversight. According to research by cybersecurity firm Wiz Research, DeepSeek maintained a publicly accessible database that provided full control over the model’s functions. Investigators discovered chat histories, secret API keys, and over a million lines of internal logs, raising red flags about how easily the data could be exploited. The lawmakers emphasized that DeepSeek’s model had not undergone thorough safety testing before being released to the public. They referenced a report by The Wall Street Journal that revealed R1 had generated dangerous content, including instructions for promoting self-harm among teenagers and even guidelines for developing a biological weapon. These findings, they argue, underscore the dangers of permissively licensed AI models being deployed without proper safeguards.

China’s Strategic AI Expansion and U.S. Concerns Senators also noted that China has made considerable progress in deploying open-source AI models despite limited access to advanced computational hardware. This development aligns with Beijing’s broader strategic goal to challenge U.S. dominance in the global AI race. In an April 2025 politburo meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that the nation’s AI sector must focus strongly on practical applications. Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei echoed this sentiment, predicting a surge in open-source tools designed to meet the country’s technological needs. Industry experts, including ByteNova CEO Chris Anderson, supported the call for caution but warned against blanket bans. Anderson argued that restricting foreign AI models entirely could lead to monopolization by U.S. firms, which might slow innovation. He stressed the importance of transparency and accountability, stating that unclear origins and poor auditability could result in companies unknowingly leaking sensitive information or enabling misuse by adversaries.

Lawmakers Demand Action and Oversight The senators are calling on the U.S. government to evaluate whether models like R1 contain backdoors or security vulnerabilities. They also want to determine whether data from American users is being transmitted to Chinese servers or accessed by entities connected to the Chinese military or surveillance apparatus. Additionally, they’re seeking clarity on whether Chinese-made semiconductors are violating usage terms for American-developed AI models. They urged federal agencies to use resources such as the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) to investigate how AI applications built on Chinese technology could harm U.S. interests. They are also requesting information on any instances where Chinese AI systems may have accessed export-controlled semiconductors.

In conclusion, the lawmakers pointed out that this is not the first time the U.S. has had to confront potential threats from Chinese tech companies. The government previously moved to remove Huawei hardware from U.S. networks over concerns it could be used for surveillance by Beijing. They believe DeepSeek now represents a new kind of threat, emerging from the AI space, that must be taken just as seriously.

#DeepSeek , #CyberSecurity , #AI , #Geopolitics , #china

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