China's Tightened Tactics on AI: DeepSeek Faces New Restrictions
China is viewing DeepSeek as a significant success in its domestic technology sector. However, recent reports suggest that this artificial intelligence (AI) startup is now operating under stringent government regulations. According to TechCrunch, DeepSeek’s breakthrough "argumentation" model, released in January, gained rapid recognition. Yet, some of its employees are now being restricted from traveling abroad, as reported by The Information.
At the same time, Chinese authorities are taking a more active role in vetting the company's investors. The report further reveals that DeepSeek's parent company, quantitative hedge fund High-Flyer, has retained some employees' passports, thereby limiting their travel.
This situation may be influenced by China’s recent directives, where the government advised AI researchers and entrepreneurs to avoid visits to the United States to prevent the leakage of critical technological data abroad.
TechCrunch has reached out to DeepSeek for comments on the matter.
