Tue Feb 04 23:53:44 IST 2025: ## Australia Bans Chinese AI Program DeepSeek Over Security Concerns
**CANBERRA, Australia** – The Australian government has banned the use of DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence program, on all government devices, citing unacceptable security risks. The ban, announced Tuesday by Department of Home Affairs Secretary Stephanie Foster, mandates the immediate removal of DeepSeek products, applications, and web services from all Commonwealth systems and mobile devices by Wednesday.
Foster’s directive stated that a threat and risk analysis concluded DeepSeek presented an unacceptable security risk. The ban prohibits not only the use of DeepSeek but also its installation and access across all government systems.
This move follows growing international concerns about DeepSeek’s data practices and the potential security implications of its AI technology. The company recently boasted that its new R1 chatbot rivals US AI leaders at a significantly lower cost, raising further alarm. Several countries, including South Korea, Ireland, France, and Italy, have already voiced similar concerns regarding DeepSeek’s handling of personal data and the datasets used to train its AI. Australia’s ban is the latest in a series of actions by governments worldwide to address these concerns.
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