Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) banned state officers from the use of Chinese language-owned generation corresponding to DeepSeek and RedNote on executive units Friday.
“Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state’s critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps,” Abbott mentioned in a press liberate. “Texas will continue to protect and defend our state from hostile foreign actors.”
In fresh weeks, DeepSeek, a synthetic intelligence (AI) startup, and RedNote, a short-form video social media app, have surged in recognition around the nation as issues about Chinese language-owned tech proceed to escalate following TikTok’s short-lived ban within the U.S.
“State agencies and employees responsible for handling critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and personal information must be protected from malicious espionage operations by the Chinese Communist Party,” Abbott added within the liberate.
President Trump known as DeepSeek’s newfound dangle within the nation a “wakeup call.”
“The release of DeepSeek, AI from a Chinese company, should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win,” he informed Area Republicans at their annual coverage retreat previous this week.
In the meantime, former Google CEO Eric Schmitt known as the AI startup’s burst onto the scene a “turning point” within the international synthetic intelligence race.
“There is clearly mounting pressure on America’s Big Tech players if DeepSeek can compete with them using far fewer resources,” he wrote in an op-ed.
Alternatively, DeepSeek has in large part been disregarded through different tech leaders. OpenAI author Sam Altman claimed the AI type’s have an effect on has been “wildly overstated” whilst Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg voiced self belief in his personal corporate’s AI paintings.
RedNote, additionally barred through Abbott within the order, was once some of the most sensible loose downloads in Apple’s U.S. app retailer the week TikTok’s court docket ordered ban was once slated to return into impact.
Abbott in the past banned TikTok from executive units in 2022.
Different apps integrated within the Texas ban come with Webull, Tiger Agents, Moomoo and Lemon8.
