Microsoft bans DeepSeek app for staff use
Brad Smith told the Senate that Microsoft does not trust DeepSeek due to its Chinese data storage and government-mandated censorship.
Microsoft has confirmed it does not allow employees to use the DeepSeek app, citing data security and propaganda concerns.
Speaking at a Senate hearing, company president Brad Smith explained the decision stems from fears that data shared with DeepSeek could end up on Chinese servers and be exposed to state surveillance laws.
Although DeepSeek is open source and widely available, Microsoft has chosen not to list the app in its own store.
Smith warned that DeepSeek’s answers may be influenced by Chinese government censorship and propaganda, and its privacy policy confirms data is stored in China, making it subject to local intelligence regulations.
Interestingly, Microsoft still offers DeepSeek’s R1 model via its Azure cloud service. The company argued this is a different matter, as customers can host the model on their servers instead of relying on DeepSeek’s infrastructure.
Even so, Smith admitted Microsoft had to alter the model to remove ‘harmful side effects,’ although no technical details were provided.
While Microsoft blocks DeepSeek’s app for internal use, it hasn’t imposed a blanket ban on all chatbot competitors. Apps like Perplexity are available in the Windows store, unlike those from Google.
The stance against DeepSeek marks a rare public move by Microsoft as the tech industry navigates rising tensions over AI tools with foreign links.
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