By NSS News Staff | June 23, 2025 | Source: Reuters
A senior U.S. official told Reuters that Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has supported China’s military and intelligence operations and attempted to circumvent U.S. export restrictions using shell companies in Southeast Asia. The official added that DeepSeek has access to significant quantities of restricted U.S. chips, including Nvidia’s H100, and has shared user data with Chinese authorities.
DeepSeek, which claimed earlier this year that its AI models rivaled leading U.S. systems, is also referenced in over 150 procurement records linked to China’s People’s Liberation Army, according to the U.S. official. The company did not respond to inquiries regarding data practices or chip acquisition.
While not currently under U.S. trade sanctions, the company’s activities have raised serious national security and privacy concerns in Washington. Nvidia has denied knowingly supplying DeepSeek with banned chips and stated it complies with U.S. export laws.
The source: Reuters
