Congressional offices have been advised against using DeepSeek, a Chinese-developed AI chatbot that has been making waves in the American AI market. The warning comes as lawmakers continue to grapple with the security risks associated with the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence technology.
According to a notice obtained by Axios, the House’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) has placed DeepSeek under review and has deemed it unauthorized for official use. The notice specifically cautions that “threat actors are already exploiting DeepSeek to deliver malicious software and infect devices.”
“To mitigate these risks, the House has taken security measures to restrict DeepSeek’s functionality on all House-issued devices,” the CAO’s office stated. Staffers have been explicitly prohibited from installing DeepSeek on any official phones, computers, or tablets, reinforcing the House’s stringent cybersecurity policies.
This move is not unprecedented. The CAO has previously restricted congressional use of AI products over security concerns. In 2023, the office set limits on OpenAI’s ChatGPT, allowing staffers to use only the paid version for specific tasks. Additionally, last April, Microsoft’s AI-powered Copilot was also restricted, though the company has since been working on government-oriented tools in hopes of meeting security standards.
