The order cites risks that sensitive government data could be transferred to the People's Republic of China since DeepSeek's servers are based there. DHS also flagged security vulnerabilities and potential malware within the company's iOS application as a reason for the ban. The restriction impacts a broader ecosystem of developers who use DeepSeek's open-weight models to build AI assistants and agents for federal contracts, which are now subject to a 60 day exemption window.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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US Bans Third Party AI Based on DeepSeek from Federal Systems
AI1 day ago
A new security directive from the Department of Homeland Security requires US civilian government operators to scrub all technology that utilizes AI models from the Chinese startup DeepSeek, including assets sold by external vendors. This mandate, signed by DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin on July 24 and published in the Federal Register on October 19, prohibits the procurement of software from any third party that incorporates DeepSeek implementations or affiliate products.
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