The Czech government has barred all public institutions from using products and services developed by Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek, citing data security risks tied to its operations in China.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced the ban during a live press conference on Wednesday, saying the decision follows growing concerns across Europe about potential data exposure to the Chinese state.

“The government has decided to prohibit the use of AI products, applications, websites, and services provided by DeepSeek within the Czech public administration,” Fiala said. “As a Chinese company, DeepSeek is obliged to cooperate with Chinese state authorities, which could grant Beijing access to sensitive data stored on its servers.”

The Czech move mirrors recent restrictions imposed by Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, where regulators have also raised alarms over DeepSeek’s data handling practices.

Founded in 2023, DeepSeek made international headlines in January 2025 after claiming it had built an AI model to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT—at a fraction of the cost. But despite early enthusiasm, the company has faced increasing scrutiny in the West over its data privacy policies.

According to DeepSeek’s own privacy statement, the company stores user queries, uploaded files, and other personal information on servers located in China. This has raised red flags among European and American regulators concerned about China’s cybersecurity and intelligence laws, which could compel companies to hand over user data to the state.

The Czech ban comes amid a broader tightening of AI-related oversight across Europe, as governments work to balance innovation with national security and data protection.