In this episode of Advancing Cyber, Cristin Flynn Goodwin unpacks the growing concerns surrounding DeepSeek, a Chinese AI provider driving headlines for its powerful AI model built with cheaper and lower-power chips than its Western counterparts. While this breakthrough raises questions about AI efficiency and affordability, it sparks serious privacy concerns, and many have been quick to point out that DeepSeek’s Terms of Service clearly show compliance with laws and government requests in the People’s Republic of China.

What hasn’t yet been explored are the impacts of Chinese cybersecurity laws on DeepSeek, particularly the Chinese regulation on vulnerability reporting. Cristin explores the implications of a DeepSeek “test bed” - vulnerabilities reported to the Chinese government, combined with US user data flowing into DeepSeek servers, accessible by the Chinese government. Cristin unpacks the potential that this is, indeed, a Sputnik moment. She challenges that even if DeepSeek isn’t “good enough” from a security perspective, industry and government must create better technical options for and policy protections in place for US users.

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