TLDR: The Czech National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NÚKIB) has issued a formal warning and the government has banned the use of Chinese AI company DeepSeek’s products in public administration, effective July 10, 2025. The decision stems from ‘High’ national security concerns, including insufficient data protection, potential user de-anonymization, and China’s legal framework allowing state access to data, with a 30-day deadline for state entities to cease usage.
Prague, Czech Republic – The Czech Republic has taken a decisive step to safeguard its national security, with the National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NÚKIB) issuing a formal warning against the use of products from the Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek. This warning, published on July 10, 2025, rates the threat as ‘High,’ with the probability of a security incident ranging from ‘likely’ to ‘very likely.’
Following NÚKIB’s analysis, the Czech government approved a resolution instructing all ministries and administrative authorities to ensure their subordinate organizations cease using DeepSeek products on state-owned devices within 30 days. The ban specifically targets DeepSeek’s products, applications, solutions, websites, and web services, including Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), particularly on devices accessing critical information infrastructure, essential services, and important information systems. However, open-source models deployed locally without server communication capabilities are excluded from this prohibition.
The primary concerns cited by NÚKIB Director Lukáš Kintr revolve around insufficient data protection, the potential for user de-anonymization, and the pervasive legal environment in China that could compel DeepSeek to provide data access to the Chinese government. NÚKIB’s technical analysis of the DeepSeek mobile app revealed that it ‘almost certainly collects all the content that the user provides to both the chatbot and the associated services’ and stores this information in a manner accessible to Chinese authorities. The agency also highlighted concerns regarding DeepSeek’s founder, Liang Wenfeng, who was reportedly involved in research on dual-use technologies while at university, studying under a professor with patents related to autonomous vehicles in battle spaces.
NÚKIB explicitly referenced China’s National Security Law (2015) and Counter-Espionage Law (2014) as key legislative frameworks that could force DeepSeek to cooperate with state intelligence efforts. Director Kintr stated, ‘It shows that Beijing is prepared to act in direct contradiction to the interests of the Czech Republic,’ linking the decision to recent cyberattacks against the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which were attributed to Beijing-backed APT31 hackers.
While the warning is legally binding for entities under the Cybersecurity Act, NÚKIB has also urged the general public, especially high-profile individuals in politics, public administration, or the judiciary, to exercise extreme caution and consider avoiding DeepSeek products entirely. The agency warns that careless handling of sensitive data could lead to serious consequences.
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This move by the Czech Republic represents one of the first comprehensive government bans on AI products based on cybersecurity concerns, potentially setting a significant precedent for how other nations approach Chinese AI technologies amidst growing international tensions over data sovereignty and the potential for AI systems to be used for intelligence gathering or influence operations.
