The Japanese government has issued a warning to its ministries and agencies against using artificial intelligence developed by the Chinese startup DeepSeek due to concerns over data security and the handling of personal information.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi announced the decision at a news conference on February 6, explaining that written directives had been sent to government institutions.
Under existing regulations, government personnel are prohibited from inputting confidential information into generative AI systems. Additionally, approval must be obtained in advance for AI usage, specifying its purpose and the scope of users.
“Relevant ministries and institutions will collaborate to address concerns related to AI, including DeepSeek,” Hayashi said. He also noted that Japan would coordinate with other governments through international frameworks to monitor and assess AI-related risks.
DeepSeek has gained attention for outperforming OpenAI’s GPT-4 in certain benchmarks despite its lower development costs. However, the AI system stores user data on servers in China and operates under Chinese legal jurisdiction, raising concerns about data privacy.
The Japanese government has urged the public to exercise caution when using DeepSeek’s services.
