The US Navy has reportedly banned its sailors from using technology from the Chinese AI company DeepSeek due to security concerns.
According to CNBC, personnel were sent an email on Friday (Jan. 24), warning them about using the OpenAI competitor “in any capacity” due to “potential security and ethical concerns associated with the model’s origin and usage.”
The US Navy email added: “We would like to bring to your attention a critical update regarding a new AI model called DeepSeek.”
The memo also stressed that it’s “imperative” for team members to avoid using DeepSeek’s AI, whether for work-related tasks or even personal use. It stated that “shipmates” were to “refrain from downloading, installing, or using the DeepSeek model in any capacity.”
A US Navy spokesperson reportedly confirmed that the email was real and explained that it was related to the Department of the Navy’s Chief Information Officer’s policy on generative AI.
The original notice, issued in September 2023, warns against using AI in operational settings unless security requirements “have been fully investigated, identified and approved for use within controlled environments.”
The dispatch also points out that AI learning models store all prompts, meaning that using proprietary or sensitive information could create a serious risk. It warns that this could accidentally lead to the exposure of sensitive or even classified data.
DeepSeek and other Chinese-based apps continue to be seen as a threat
In 2024, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence stated that China “remains the most active and persistent cyber threat to US Government, private sector, and critical infrastructure networks.”
Consequently, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has been attempting to mitigate threats by “advancing scalable vulnerability reduction for government and critical infrastructure; and increasing awareness, preparedness, and resilience focused on PRC threats and tactics.”
Just this month, the US officially passed a nationwide ban on TikTok, citing concerns that the Chinese government could use the platform to collect user data and influence operations. However, President Donald Trump signed an executive order pausing the law for now.
To prevent any potential harm, we reiterate that @deepseek_ai is our sole official account on Twitter/X.
Any accounts:
– representing us
– using identical avatars
– using similar names
are impersonations.Please stay vigilant to avoid being misled!
— DeepSeek (@deepseek_ai) January 28, 2025
That said, the hottest new open-source artificial intelligence firm claims it has been hit by cyberattacks. On Monday (Jan. 27), the company announced it would temporarily limit new registrations due to “large-scale malicious attacks” on its software. Meanwhile, earlier this week, OpenAI accused the company of having used its proprietary technology to train its models, after DeepSeek sent shockwaves through global financial markets.
ReadWrite has reached out to the US Navy for comment.
Featured image: Canva / DeepSeek