Australia has slammed the brakes on DeepSeek by banning the Chinese AI chatbot from all government devices and systems over “unacceptable security risks.”
The move comes just weeks after DeepSeek shocked the AI world by debuting a cheap chatbot that rivals top US models.
The revelation rattled global stock markets, including Australia’s AI sector, where companies like chipmaker Brainchip took a hit.
Why Australia is Worried?
Government officials insist this isn’t about China—it’s about security.
The ban blocks all government agencies, from the Australian Electoral Commission to the Bureau of Meteorology, from installing DeepSeek software.
However, it’s unclear whether the restriction will extend to schools and other public-sector institutions.
DeepSeek isn’t the first Chinese tech company to face Western scrutiny.
Huawei and TikTok have both been labeled as national security threats.
And while former US President Donald Trump initially saw DeepSeek as a “wake-up call” for AI innovation, concerns over data privacy and security are mounting.
