Pentagon and US Navy ban personnel from using Chinese AI DeepSeek
The Pentagon and US Navy banned access to the Chinese AI chatbot DeepSeek after Defense Department employees used it on work computers connected to Chinese servers, citing data privacy risks. Pentagon IT experts are investigating how employees accessed the application and military branches are removing linked AI tools.
What happened
The Pentagon banned access to the AI chatbot DeepSeek after employees connected their work computers to Chinese servers to access the application. Some US Defense Department employees used the app on work computers for at least two days before the Pentagon blocked access.
The Defense Information Systems Agency restricted access to DeepSeek's website on January 28 after concerns were raised about its use. The US Navy instructed its personnel not to download, install, or use DeepSeek's AI for any work-related tasks or personal use.
Reported impact
The Pentagon raised concerns about data privacy risks and DeepSeek's connection to Chinese servers. Some military personnel had downloaded an earlier version of DeepSeek's code in late 2024 without initially raising security concerns, as the connection to China was not immediately clear.
Governance controls
Pentagon IT experts are investigating how employees accessed DeepSeek. Military branches have reviewed and removed AI tools linked to China from work computers.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.