Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into DeepSeek, an artificial intelligence company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
The investigation focuses on DeepSeek’s privacy practices and its claims of rivaling advanced AI models like OpenAI’s Model o1.
Paxton notified DeepSeek that its platform violates the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act. As part of the probe, he has issued Civil Investigative Demands to Google and Apple requesting their analyses of the DeepSeek application and related documentation.
The attorney general expressed concerns about DeepSeek’s potential to act on behalf of the CCP, stating, “DeepSeek appears to be no more than a proxy for the CCP to undermine American AI dominance and steal the data of our citizens.”
DeepSeek’s privacy policy reveals that user data is stored on servers in China, raising significant data security issues.
“That’s why I’m announcing a thorough investigation and calling on Google and Apple to cooperate immediately by providing all relevant documents related to the DeepSeek app,” added Paxton. “The United States and Texas will continue to be at the forefront of global AI innovation, and any CCP-aligned company that tries to undermine that dominance by violating the rights of Texans and illegally undercutting American technology companies will face the full force of the law.”
Paxton banned DeepSeek’s platform from all Office of the Attorney General devices in January due to security concerns.
Gov. Greg Abbott also banned DeepSeek from all state-issued devices shortly thereafter, expressing concern about how the collected data could be used beyond the app’s primary functions.
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