In a striking but unsurprising move, the United States Navy has banned the use of China's DeepSeek AI platform on its vessels. DeepSeek took the AI world by storm this month after it demonstrated performance similar to leading models by OpenAI and other American firms.
However, the model's true shock came after NVIDIA and other data center stocks led a multi-billion dollar stock market wipeout yesterday over investor concerns about overblown AI training costs. The Navy's ban was first reported by CNBC, which confirmed its authenticity through a spokesperson for the armed forces branch.
US Navy Directs Sailors, Servicemembers To Stop Using DeepSeek For Personal & Work-related Tasks
According to CNBC, the Navy sent its directives surrounding DeepSeek to sailors and other servicemembers through an email. This email warned them about the origins of the AI model and pointed at the security and ethical concerns surrounding its use. Chinese origin software applications have been a hot topic for more than a year now after TikTok's ban over concerns of China accessing the data of more than 170 million Americans.
The security implications of models like DeepSeek can be similar, if not worse. For the military, members might ask queries from the chatbot to help them with their daily tasks or daily lives. These queries, if accessed by malevolent entities, could compromise national security––a concern that hasn't evaded the Navy's attention.
Its email notes that "potential security and ethical concerns associated with the model’s origin and usage" merit a complete ban over its use by servicemembers either for "work-related tasks or personal use.” The email goes on to ask recipients to "refrain from downloading, installing, or using the DeepSeek model in any capacity." The Navy's email mentions a "new AI model called DeepSeek" cannot be used.
The firm that develops AI models is called DeepSeek, while its models, such as the latest iteration, are named DeepSeek-V3, DeepSeek-R1 and so on.
As per CNBC, the email was sent on Friday, or before the massive stock market selloff yesterday that shook investors and tech executives alike. CNBC adds that the message was sent through the Navy's Naval Air Warcraft Center Division Cyber Workforce Manger and via an operational distribution list which covers most, if not all, of the branch's members.
Chinese applications such as TikTok have not only raised national security concerns with respect to data gathering but also through videos shared by military members. The Pentagon took a striking step in 2023 to ban TikTok across all DOD-connected devices, which included private contractors. The move came four years after the three armed services branches had banned the application on official devices after the Pentagon labeled it as a national security risk.
The tri-service ban came months after Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Tom Cotton (R-AK) had requested an intelligence evaluation of the implications of its use to national security. This, and similar scrutiny, led Congress to require TikTok to find a buyer or be shut down in the US through the Protecting Americans from Foreign Controlled Applications (PAFCA) Act, which was passed in 2024.
A Navy spokesperson confirmed the email to CNBC and added that it followed the branch's AI policy. White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed earlier today that the National Security Council was reviewing DeepSeek's national security implications. Her remarks came after President Trump took struck an optimistic note and stated that DeepSeek "should be a wake-up call for" American companies.
About the author: Ramish is a seasoned technology writer and editor with more than a decade of experience. He specializes in semiconductor fabrication and market analysis. With a background in finance and supply chain management - via his bachelors in Finance and a micromasters in supply chain management from MIT - Ramish combines financial rigor with deep industry insight to deliver accurate and authoritative coverage.
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