Taiwan Bans Chinese DeepSeek AI Chatbot In Government Agencies

Left: The flag waves against a clear blue sky. Right: An app named DeepSeek on a phone screen offers a solution to a mathematical query, showcasing technological advancements.

Taiwan has banned government agencies from utilizing DeepSeek, a Chinese AI technology. The Ministry of Digital Affairs cited issues with 'cross-border transmission' and 'potential information leakage'. Similar actions were taken by Italy and Ireland, highlighting broader concerns. The United Kingdom's AI Minister advised citizens to be cautious when using DeepSeek. The company, founded by Liang Wenfeng, claims DeepSeek rivals top American models at a much lower cost. DeepSeek has made the AI world panic, especially American tech companies like OpenAI. This rise in AI tech brings significant security and data protection challenges.

What does this mean for American users?

It's simply a matter of time before DeepSeek gets banned in the United States, too. This is just my take, but don't expect much longer before the law at least puts some kind of restriction on using this app. If America is fighting to ban TikTok, that gives them just as much reason to ban DeepSeek. It's based in China and has already garnered enough attention (it hit the App Store #1 right after its launch) to be talked about in American tech. It's also well-known that we've had a rocky history with Chinese technology. Huawei got banned due to security implications that the Chinese government was collecting data for espionage purposes, and now TikTok was almost the next to go. If DeepSeek is collecting data for this same purpose (from its users), it's probably already gotten enough. Also, DeepSeek is taking a toll on America's ground in the AI field. Before this, companies like OpenAI were far ahead; now, they're falling way behind, not just in terms of product quality but also in money. They've racked up tons in debt. Additionally, American tech needs to step up their game to be more globally competitive. Banning DeepSeek might give them a bit of an edge in American markets, but in the end, they'll still have to be able to reach other countries. How are companies responding?

Tech giants are not backing down from their big AI spending plans. Meta and Microsoft each plan on spending $60B in AI infrastructure this year. Despite the emergence of cheaper AI model companies like DeepSeek, these tech leaders are doubling down. Meta's Mark Zuckerberg said, "Investing aggressively in AI is crucial for the company's future". Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella said demand is so high, they're struggling to keep up. The AI race is just beginning, with major players pushing to stay forward.