DeepSeek, a China-based AI startup that made waves earlier this year for developing a powerful and cost-efficient AI model, has reportedly taken the passports of some key employees to prevent potential leaks of sensitive information.
According to a post by Kylie Robison, a senior AI reporter at The Verge, quoted a report in The Information and stated that DeepSeek engineers have been subjected to a travel restriction aimed at safeguarding “confidential information that could constitute trade secrets or even state secrets.”
The move underscores growing concerns over the protection of AI-related intellectual property, particularly as global competition in artificial intelligence intensifies.
“DeepSeek engineers have handed in their China passports. The China-based AI startup that made headline news earlier this year after releasing a highly capable, cost-efficient AI model, has taken the passports of some key employees, per The Information. The travel ban is intended to prevent the leak of “confidential information that could constitute trade secrets or even state secrets,” the report says, citing three anonymous sources,” Kylie Robison posted.
With China’s stringent regulations on technology and data security, it is not uncommon for high-profile companies working in sensitive sectors to implement strict measures to control information flow.
While it remains unclear how many employees are affected, the report suggests that DeepSeek’s decision aligns with broader government-backed efforts to maintain AI advancements within the country.