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FIRST ON FOX: A powerful House Committee is launching an investigation into DeepSeek, a controversial AI company. Lawmakers are demanding clarity on the U.S. data utilized to train its AI model while alleging that DeepSeek operates under the influence of the Chinese government.
In a recent letter announcing this inquiry, members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee expressed their concerns regarding companies like DeepSeek that allegedly harvest Americans’ personal and proprietary information. They warned that such practices could introduce significant data security vulnerabilities for the U.S. economy.
Chairman Brett Guthrie, a Republican from Kentucky, and fellow committee member Gus Bilirakis from Florida, highlighted alarming statements made by DeepSeek. “DeepSeek admits to sending Americans’ personal information to servers in China, where it is undoubtedly accessed by officials connected to the Chinese Communist Party,” they said. They emphasized their worries that this close connection with representatives of a nation seen as a principal adversary endangers both national security and private citizen data.
According to the company’s privacy policy, DeepSeek collects user data and stores it in what they refer to as secure servers located in the People’s Republic of China. This data includes all interactions, such as questions submitted to DeepSeek’s AI model, alongside the responses generated.
A rising number of states, including New York, Texas, and Virginia, have proactively banned DeepSeek from government devices amid these security concerns.
This situation evokes memories of TikTok’s trajectory in the U.S. market, where the Chinese-owned platform operated under scrutiny for its data-sharing practices with the Communist Party of China. Today, TikTok is prohibited on government devices and remains at risk of a nationwide ban.
Moreover, several nations, such as Canada, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Italy, have already barred DeepSeek due to potential security threats posed by its activities.
In February, South Korea accused DeepSeek of sharing user data with ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, intensifying scrutiny on its data practices.
The congressional letter expressed particular concern regarding the way Chinese firms leverage U.S. technology to enhance AI development. Some reports indicate that DeepSeek may have trained its R1 model by utilizing data outputs from American competitors, a claim that raises further eyebrows about its operational strategies.
In their inquiry, Guthrie formally requested that DeepSeek provide the committee with detailed descriptions of the types and sources of data used to train its AI models. They also inquired whether any proprietary or personal information belonging to U.S. citizens has been shared with any entities associated with the Chinese government.
The committee’s letter elaborated on the need for transparency regarding how DeepSeek’s AI system is trained. Specifically, they queried whether the company takes any measures to ensure the AI output aligns with the political objectives of the Communist Party of China.
Lawmakers requested a comprehensive response from DeepSeek by May 8, indicating the urgency of their inquiry.
DeepSeek has created a stir within Silicon Valley and beyond, with many noting the company’s rapid advancement in AI technology. Their model reportedly rivals that of chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT while requiring a fraction of the investment typically associated with such developments.
The Energy and Commerce Committee, tasked with oversight over AI and data privacy issues, is notably active in this area. Last year’s bipartisan legislation, which compelled TikTok to sell itself from ByteDance to avoid a potential ban in the U.S., originated from this committee’s concerns about data security.
In a revealing April report, the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party concluded that DeepSeek was not only funneling American data to China but also manipulating its AI outputs to promote narratives favorable to CCP propaganda.
Looking Ahead: As scrutiny of DeepSeek intensifies, the unfolding situation represents a broader concern regarding foreign influence on American technological infrastructure. The public and authorities alike are left to ponder the implications for both national security and personal privacy. In an age where data security is paramount, the outcomes of this investigation may have lasting effects on the regulatory landscape surrounding AI development and data handling.
