# US bans Deepseek AI products; China says it’s discrimination

> The US Department of Homeland Security ordered federal agencies to drop Deepseek tools, while China blocks ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini at home.

Oossa · 2026-10-21 · https://oossa.com/en/us-bans-deepseek-ai-products-china-says-it-s-discrimination

The US Department of Homeland Security told civilian federal agencies to remove all software from Chinese AI firm Deepseek, including any products built on its open‑source models, and to stop future purchases. Beijing called the move discriminatory and said it would retaliate. At the same time, China continues to bar foreign AI services such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini from the domestic market, a policy that has been in place since a 2023 review rule.

The US says the ban protects sensitive data, while China points to its own stricter controls on foreign AI and recent proposals for export licences on AI technology.

## The facts

- US DHS ban covers Deepseek and any software built on its models (reported Oct 21, 2026).
- China has blocked ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini domestically since a 2023 AI‑service review rule.

## Why it matters

Federal agencies in the US must replace Deepseek tools, and Chinese users remain without major foreign AI chat services.

## Sources & references

1. [China protests the US Deepseek ban while blocking ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini at home](https://the-decoder.com/china-protests-the-us-deepseek-ban-while-blocking-chatgpt-claude-and-gemini-at-home/) – The Decoder, 2026-10-21

Last updated: 2026-10-21