Taiwan has prohibited public sector employees and key infrastructure personnel from using DeepSeek, citing concerns over national security due to its Chinese origins.

DeepSeek recently introduced its R1 chatbot, claiming it rivals top U.S. AI models while requiring significantly less investment. However, countries like South Korea, Ireland, France, Australia, and Italy have voiced concerns about the company’s data handling practices.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs announced on Friday that all government bodies and critical infrastructure operators must avoid using DeepSeek, warning that it poses risks to "national information security." The ministry stated, "DeepSeek is a Chinese-developed AI service, and its operations involve cross-border data transmission, raising concerns about potential information leaks."

Taiwan has consistently accused China of employing "grey zone" tactics—covert activities like cyberattacks—to exert pressure without direct military conflict, as part of Beijing’s ongoing claims over the island.

Since 2019, Taiwan has restricted the use of tech products and services in government operations that could threaten information security. The move against DeepSeek comes amid heightened scrutiny, with data protection authorities in South Korea and Ireland demanding the company clarify its data management practices. Additionally, Italy launched an investigation into the R1 model earlier this week, temporarily banning it from processing data related to Italian users.