Attorney General Gentner Drummond has called on Congress to enact the "No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act." This legislation aims to prohibit the use and download of the Chinese Communist Party's artificial intelligence software, DeepSeek, on government devices. Drummond is part of a coalition of 21 states that recently communicated their concerns about DeepSeek in a letter to Congress.
The coalition argues that DeepSeek poses a threat by potentially transmitting user data directly to the Chinese Communist Party. There are also concerns that users might inadvertently create accounts in China, exposing their identities and online activities to the Chinese government.
"The growing threat of Chinese technology infiltrating our government systems demands immediate action. Oklahoma cannot stand idle while foreign adversaries gain backdoor access to our data," Drummond stated. He urged Congress to pass the proposed act to protect America's critical infrastructure and sensitive information.
China remains one of the significant national security threats facing the United States. In recent years, incidents such as a Chinese spy balloon over U.S. airspace, hacking into the U.S. Treasury Department, and cyberespionage targeting American government and political workers have heightened these concerns.
DeepSeek has already been banned from government devices in several countries, including Canada, Australia, South Korea, and Taiwan. Italy has extended this ban nationwide. The platform is linked with China Mobile, which has close ties with the Chinese military and faces sanctions from the U.S. government.
"Congress should protect America’s national security by banning DeepSeek on government devices," stated Drummond and his fellow attorneys general in their letter. They expressed confidence that if administrative actions have not yet been taken, swift measures would be implemented by relevant authorities to safeguard national security against what they describe as America's "potent and dangerous" adversary.