Australia Bans Chinese DeepSeek AI From All Government Devices Over 'National Security' Concerns

The Australian government has imposed a nationwide ban on the use of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek across all government devices, citing national security risks, reported The Hindu.

The Australian Department of Home Affairs issued a mandatory directive on Tuesday (4 February), instructing all government entities to “prevent the use or installation of DeepSeek products, applications, and web services” and to remove all existing instances from official systems.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke justified the immediate ban, stating that DeepSeek posed an "unacceptable risk" to government technology and that decisive action was necessary to "protect Australia’s national security and national interest".

While the ban applies to government devices, it does not extend to private citizens.

DeepSeek made headlines after its launch last month, offering AI models that are cheaper and require less advanced chips than Western competitors.

Its rapid rise triggered a dip in global tech stocks, raising concerns over Western investments in semiconductor and AI infrastructure.

Australia’s decision follows similar moves by Italy and Taiwan, which also banned DeepSeek from government systems over security and data privacy risks.

Several other European nations and global governments are reportedly reviewing the AI firm’s potential risks before making regulatory decisions.

The ban on DeepSeek comes two years after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government imposed a nationwide ban on TikTok across government devices, citing similar cybersecurity concerns. 

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