The growing concerns surrounding China’s utilization of DeepSeek artificial intelligence (AI) have led to heightened scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers and national security experts. As AI technologies become more advanced, their potential for misuse, especially in areas related to surveillance and information attacks, raises significant alarm. The utilization and proliferation of these AI technologies by China pose significant national security concerns, prompting calls for policy intervention to mitigate risks.
Rising Concerns
Legislative Pushback
A bipartisan effort, spearheaded by U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, is advocating for a ban on DeepSeek AI on government devices. They cite potential risks to sensitive data, cybersecurity, and the privacy of Americans. In a letter to U.S. governors and the mayor of Washington, these concerns are articulated, emphasizing the gravity of deploying such technologies on state machinery. The congressmen argue that allowing DeepSeek on government devices could result in the unauthorized collection and misuse of sensitive information, which could then be directed toward cyber espionage or other malicious activities. The push for legislative action indicates a clear recognition of the growing threat posed by foreign AI technologies and the need for robust measures to secure national interests.
Furthermore, the move to restrict DeepSeek comes in the broader context of heightened vigilance against Chinese tech companies suspected of aiding espionage efforts. Past precedents, such as the ban on Huawei and ZTE from the U.S. telecommunications infrastructure, underscore long-standing apprehensions about the potential for Chinese technology firms to serve as conduits for intelligence gathering. Lawmakers are particularly concerned about the aggregation of vast amounts of data that could be utilized to build comprehensive profiles of U.S. government officials and citizens. The bipartisan nature of this initiative highlights the shared understanding across the political spectrum about the urgency of addressing these security concerns.
Evidence of Misuse
The Chinese government is reportedly leveraging AI models, including DeepSeek, for extensive surveillance activities. These activities involve the collection of biometric data and monitoring social media, with the information filtered back to Chinese security services and the military. This usage has sparked significant anxiety regarding China’s technological reach and intentions. Surveillance technologies deployed by the Chinese government have been instrumental in maintaining social control domestically, and their potential deployment abroad raises serious ethical and security concerns. By embedding AI capabilities into surveillance frameworks, China has enhanced its ability to track, profile, and suppress dissent both within and beyond its borders.
Detailed reports have pointed out that Chinese AI models have been involved in monitoring and suppressing the activities of dissidents and monitoring foreign entities. The collection of biometric data, such as facial recognition and other personal identifiers, can be utilized to track individuals in real-time, potentially leading to significant breaches of privacy. The gathered data, when analyzed with sophisticated AI algorithms, can reveal intricate details about individuals’ movements, associations, and personal preferences. This level of surveillance, augmented by AI, introduces a potent new tool for the Chinese government in its efforts to expand its influence and control.
Technological Implications
Integration by Chinese Companies
Prominent Chinese companies like TopSec, QAX, and NetEase have integrated DeepSeek to enhance their services. These integrations focus on cyber censorship and surveillance techniques, including advanced face recognition and AI-driven biometric data capture. Such technology is already operational in initiatives like “smart cities” and extensive public monitoring projects like Skynet and Xueliang. These comprehensive surveillance projects aim to create an all-encompassing monitoring network that leverages AI to maintain constant vigilance over public activities. The collaboration between technology firms and government initiatives has resulted in the creation of highly advanced surveillance infrastructures capable of real-time data processing and monitoring.
These companies, by leveraging AI, have augmented their ability to censor online content and track public sentiment. The integration of AI in censorship mechanisms allows for real-time filtering and suppression of content deemed undesirable by Chinese authorities. Moreover, these capabilities have not been confined within China’s borders alone. As these Chinese firms expand their services globally, the risk of exporting such surveillance and censorship technologies increases. This global reach could be used to monitor international students, expatriates, and foreign nationals, thereby extending the Chinese government’s surveillance capabilities to foreign soil. This raises ethical and legal questions about the global impact of Chinese AI surveillance technologies.
Cybersecurity Breaches
Concerns were further validated when Canadian cybersecurity firm Feroot Security uncovered a code in DeepSeek’s login processes that shares user information with China Mobile. Given China Mobile’s history of alleged espionage activities and the U.S. ban on its operations, this finding underscores the potential security threats posed by DeepSeek. The discovery of this “heavily obfuscated computer script” that links to China Mobile’s infrastructure suggests a deliberate attempt to embed surveillance tools within widely used platforms. Such findings not only validate the apprehensions but also highlight the calculated measures taken by Chinese entities to discreetly deploy these technologies.
These cybersecurity breaches have significant implications. By embedding surveillance codes within commonplace AI tools and software, the potential for data interception and unauthorized access scales exponentially. Moreover, using DeepSeek’s interface to indirectly route sensitive information to state-owned entities introduces a complex web of espionage capable of compromising critical data streams. This discovery has prompted cybersecurity experts to call for stricter scrutiny and security protocols to protect against the infiltration of such covert surveillance technologies. Enhanced security measures and vigilant auditing of AI applications are imperative to prevent such breaches and to safeguard against national security vulnerabilities.
Malicious Uses
Phishing and Disinformation
China-based actors are reportedly utilizing both ChatGPT and DeepSeek for generating phishing emails and disinformation attacks targeting U.S. interests. OpenAI’s report from February highlights these malicious activities, revealing the use of AI-generated content to influence public opinion and monitor protests globally. These AI tools, when weaponized, become formidable instruments of psychological and informational warfare. Through sophisticated algorithms, phishing emails can be crafted to convincingly mimic legitimate communications, making them highly effective in deceiving users into divulging sensitive information or downloading malicious software.
Moreover, the disinformation capabilities facilitated by these AI models extend beyond phishing. By creating and disseminating false or misleading content, these AI systems can manipulate public sentiment and disrupt democratic processes. Reports have indicated a concerted effort to flood social media platforms with propaganda that sows discord and undermines trust in established institutions. This strategic deployment of AI-generated disinformation aims to destabilize societies, erode public trust, and shift opinions in favor of China’s geopolitical goals. The utilization of AI in this context presents a potent threat to democratic states seeking to maintain the integrity of their information ecosystems.
Influence Operations
AI models are aiding Chinese influence operations by generating content in both English and Spanish to shape public sentiment against the U.S. Reports of Chinese AI-generated articles in Latin American and Spanish media outlets underscore a concerted effort to undermine U.S. credibility, aligning these narratives with broader geopolitical propaganda strategies by Beijing. By targeting international media, China’s influence operations seek to reshape global perceptions of the U.S., casting it in a negative light to weaken its international standing and influence. The content generated is meticulously tailored to local contexts, addressing issues pertinent to domestic audiences while subtly embedding anti-U.S. sentiments.
These influence operations often focus on exploiting existing socioeconomic and political tensions to amplify their impact. By portraying U.S. policies as detrimental and highlighting domestic issues such as economic inequality and social unrest, these AI-generated narratives aim to paint a picture of a nation in decline. The strategic intent is clear: to erode confidence in U.S. leadership and to promote an alternative vision aligned with Beijing’s interests. Such operations, while technologically sophisticated, are part of a broader effort to shift the balance of global power and narrative control. The task for U.S. policymakers, therefore, is to develop robust countermeasures to detect and mitigate the effects of these AI-driven influence campaigns.
Strategic Implications
Undermining U.S. Policies
Numerous op-eds and articles criticize U.S. policies, depicting them as ineffective and harmful. From U.S. sanctions to military aid in Ukraine, these narratives argue that such strategies diminish America’s global influence, creating a narrative of a faltering power. These critiques are part of a strategic effort to weaken international support for U.S. foreign policy initiatives and to portray U.S. actions as self-serving and destabilizing. By framing U.S. interventions as illegitimate or unsuccessful, the aim is to discredit U.S. leadership and reduce the appeal of its democratic values.
The consistent messaging in these articles points to a coordinated effort to align public opinion with China’s political objectives. For example, by challenging the efficacy of sanctions, these narratives seek to undermine tools that the U.S. uses to exert pressure on adversaries, thereby reducing their impact. Similarly, criticizing U.S. military aid to allies serves to cast doubt on America’s commitment to its partners and its role in maintaining global security. The strategic goal is clear: to diminish U.S. influence and to position China as a more reliable and effective global leader.
Domestic Issues
The rising concerns over China’s use of DeepSeek artificial intelligence (AI) have captured the attention of U.S. lawmakers and national security specialists. As AI technologies advance rapidly, their potential to be misused, particularly in the domains of surveillance and information warfare, triggers significant unease. The deployment and widespread adoption of these sophisticated AI systems by China present notable national security challenges for the United States. These concerns have intensified to the point where policymakers are considering the need for regulatory measures to curb the risks associated with China’s AI ambitions. National security experts highlight that unchecked AI proliferation could have far-reaching implications, affecting not only privacy and individual freedoms but also the stability of international relations. The situation demands a comprehensive and strategic response to ensure that the United States can protect itself from the adverse impacts of AI technologies that are deployed with potentially malicious intent.
