Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun 
DeepSeek's logo (©Reuters)
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Concerns are growing worldwide about a new generative AI (artificial intelligence) system developed by Chinese startup DeepSeek. Japan's government, companies, and people also need to be vigilant about the threat it poses.
The People's Republic of China is a totalitarian state ruled by the Chinese Communist Party, and everything done there is subject to ideological control. The PRC's National Intelligence Law requires Chinese companies and citizens to cooperate with State intelligence activities. Consequently, there are concerns that DeepSeek AI products could allow the Chinese government to extract sensitive information at will.
The Italian government has announced that it will restrict access to DeepSeek AI. Taiwan has also banned its use by public agencies. According to the Bloomberg news service, at least several hundred companies and government agencies around the world are moving to implement similar restrictions.
What are the Risks?
Risks stemming from DeepSeek AI are not limited to information leaks. Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Council Chairman Itsunori Onodera explained to the Lower House Budget Committee what happened when he asked Deepseek's AI whether the Senkaku Islands were Japanese territory. According to Onodera, "The answer I got was, 'It is China's inherent territory,' which is blatantly untrue."
Furthermore, if someone asks about the Tiananmen Square Incident of 1989, the following answer comes back: "Sorry, that's beyond my current scope. Let's talk about something else."
These cases show how DeepSeek could easily be used by the CCP to hide inconvenient truths and spread false information.
Japan Reacts
On February 4, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi warned that Chinese laws apply to the management of personal information and other data gained by DeepSeek AI. However, currently, there are no restrictions on its use in Japan. Nevertheless, we must remain vigilant. Japan should work in tandem with other countries in moving to restrict its usage.
High-performance AI is deeply related to national security as well as economic competitiveness. Huge investments in AI development have been required so far. However, DeepSeek claims it developed its version of AI for less than one-tenth the cost of American companies in the field.
America has tried to slow China's AI development by restricting the supply of cutting-edge semiconductors and other equipment needed for their manufacture. If DeepSeek's performance claims are accurate, that would mean that these measures have been inadequate.
DeepSeek is also suspected of illegitimately using the technology American company OpenAI developed for Chat GPT. Japan, the US, allies, and other nations that share respect for freedom must move quickly to respond to this looming threat.
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Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
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