gyanugenai

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee has launched an investigation into DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company accused of harvesting American data and potentially sharing it with the Chinese government. This follows growing concerns about the security risks posed by DeepSeek’s practices, similar to those of the controversial app TikTok.

House Committee Investigates DeepSeek for Data Harvesting and Potential CCP Ties

A prominent U.S. congressional committee has begun an investigation into the Chinese AI firm DeepSeek, amid accusations that it harvests personal and proprietary data from American users. The House Energy and Commerce Committee expressed concern that the company’s data practices could undermine U.S. security.

The committee raised alarms over DeepSeek’s privacy policy, which acknowledges that user data, including all interactions with the AI, is stored on servers located in China. Lawmakers worry that such data could be accessed by the Chinese government, which is closely linked to the country’s leading tech firms.

This investigation is part of a broader effort to understand how Chinese companies, like DeepSeek, are involved in advancing AI technology while potentially exploiting U.S. data. DeepSeek’s AI system has drawn significant attention in the tech world, offering a cost-effective alternative to popular platforms like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. However, concerns over its data practices and ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have sparked growing criticism.

The company has already faced bans from several U.S. states, including New York, Texas, and Virginia, which have restricted its use on government devices due to security risks. The situation mirrors the controversy surrounding TikTok, a Chinese-owned app that has been banned from government devices and faces potential restrictions in the U.S. due to similar data-sharing concerns.

In addition to U.S. scrutiny, DeepSeek has been blocked in multiple countries, including Canada, Australia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Italy, which cite security risks. South Korea, in particular, accused the company of sharing user data with ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Amid the growing global concerns, U.S. lawmakers are demanding clarity on how DeepSeek’s AI models are trained and whether they are influenced by CCP political objectives. Rep. Brett Guthrie, who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee, has called for detailed information on the types of data used to train the AI models, especially any data sourced from U.S. citizens or companies.

In response to these concerns, the committee has requested that DeepSeek provide a comprehensive account of how its AI is trained and whether its data-sharing practices align with the interests of the Chinese government. The committee’s investigation could have far-reaching implications, as it seeks to protect U.S. citizens’ data and ensure that foreign technologies do not compromise national security.

Source: Fox News