By Hank Russell
Governor Kathy Hochul announced on February 10 that a statewide ban is now in effect that prohibits the DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence (AI) application from being downloaded on ITS-managed government devices and networks.
DeepSeek is an AI start-up founded and owned by High-Flyer, a stock trading firm based in the People’s Republic of China. Serious concerns have been raised concerning DeepSeek AI’s connection to foreign government surveillance and censorship, including how DeepSeek can be used to harvest user data and steal technology secrets.
“Public safety is my top priority and we’re working aggressively to protect New Yorkers from foreign and domestic threats,” Governor Hochul said. “New York will continue fighting to combat cyber threats, ensure the privacy and safety of our data, and safeguard against state-sponsored censorship.”
News reports have surfaced that DeepSeek ‘s R1 AI model may be susceptible to “jailbreaking” — that is, being manipulated to create harmful content, such as to launch a bioweapons attack or urging teenagers to harm themselves. It was also reported that R1 was rated the worst, in terms of blocking content on bioweapons. There were also reports that the program, meanwhile, blocked information related to Tiananmen Square and the Taiwanese government.
New York State Chief Cyber Officer Colin Ahern said, “Safeguarding New Yorker’s critical infrastructure, privacy, freedom from censorship are central pillars of Governor Hochul’s security and resilience agenda. This action today demonstrates we will continue to defend New York from cyber threats.”
New York State Office of Information Technology Services Chief Information Officer and Director Dru Rai noted that Hochul’s announcement meets the State’s Acceptable Use of Artificial Intelligence Technologies policy that was established “at her direction over a year ago to responsibly evaluate AI systems, better serve New Yorkers, and ensure agencies remain vigilant about protecting against unwanted outcomes. I commend the Governor for recognizing that this must continue to be the highest priority.”
Long Island Life & Politics attempted to reach out to DeepSeek, but could not find any contact information on the company’s website.