Several Republican lawmakers are asking the US Commerce Department to look into DeepSeek, a Chinese company that released an open-source artificial intelligence (AI) model called R1.
They are worried the tool could put American data at risk and possibly help China’s military and surveillance operations.
According to a letter dated August 1 and released to the public on August 5, the senators pointed out that DeepSeek allows anyone to access and change the inner workings of its model. They noted that this setup could be used to leak private information or spread harmful content.
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One of the main points in the letter is the lack of safety checks on the R1 model. The senators said it has already been used to generate dangerous instructions, including how to run a social media campaign encouraging self-harm among teens and how to make a biological weapon.
The lawmakers also stressed that the US must stay competitive in building AI for both business and everyday use. However, they warned that allowing unchecked tools from abroad could harm national security.
Those who signed the letter include Senators Bill Cassidy, John Cornyn, Marsha Blackburn, Todd Young, John Husted, and John Curtis. While they did not call for direct penalties, they asked officials to take whatever actions are needed to reduce the risks.
Recently, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning federal use of AI tools seen as politically biased. What does the order include? Read the full story.
