Australia has banned the use of DeepSeek on all government devices, citing security risks associated with the Chinese artificial intelligence startup. The government announced the decision, following concerns over potential threats to national security.
The Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs issued a mandatory directive requiring all government entities to “prevent the use or installation of DeepSeek products, applications, and online services and, where found, to remove any existing instances from all Australian government systems and devices,” according to an official statement.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stated that DeepSeek posed an “unacceptable risk” to government technology, and the immediate ban was necessary to “protect Australia’s national security and interests,” as reported by various Australian media outlets.
The ban does not extend to private devices. The global tech market saw a downturn following DeepSeek’s recent launch, as the platform offers AI capabilities at a fraction of the cost of competing models and requires less advanced semiconductor chips. This has raised concerns about the massive Western investments in chip manufacturers and data centers.
Australia’s decision follows a similar ban in Italy, while other European and international governments are also scrutinizing the AI company. Earlier this week, Taiwan also prohibited government agencies from using DeepSeek.
This move comes two years after the Australian government, under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, banned the Chinese social media app TikTok from government devices over security concerns.
