The US government has ordered all civilian federal agencies to remove DeepSeek AI products from their systems. The directive, signed by DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin on July 24, also prevents agencies from purchasing any DeepSeek-linked products in the future. The order was issued under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018, marking the first time the law has been used against an AI company. DHS cited concerns that DeepSeek poses multiple threat vectors and could transfer sensitive data to Chinese authorities. The ban affects agencies like the Treasury, State, and Justice departments, though the Department of Defense and intelligence community are not covered.
China strongly criticized the ban, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning calling it an overstretching of national security concepts and a politicization of trade issues. Mao Ning stated that China will resolutely safeguard the rights of Chinese companies and opposes the overstretching of national security concepts. DeepSeek itself also pushed back, labeling the ban a national security overreach. US and Chinese leaders are scheduled to meet in November, where AI is expected to be a topic of discussion.
In a separate development, leading consciousness scientists published a Nature article arguing that current AI systems are not sentient. Anil Seth, Ned Block, and Giulio Tononi contend that being smart does not equate to having inner feelings. They warn that wrongly believing AI is conscious poses a greater risk than failing to detect real consciousness, pointing to anthropomorphism as a key reason people overthink AI sentience.
Meanwhile, the debate over AI's impact on jobs continues. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warns that AI could eliminate many white-collar jobs in the coming years. In contrast, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes AI will reshape roles and ultimately create more jobs than before. Two economists, Daron Acemoglu from MIT and Erik Brynjolfsson from Stanford, discussed these competing views during a live NPR virtual event on October 28th, fielding questions from attendees in a Q&A session.
A Harvard survey of over 5,400 people revealed interesting gender differences in perceptions of AI. When asked about two fake AI executives, Susan Milner and Craig Dalton, 53 percent of men said they knew them, compared to 40 percent of women. Men were also more optimistic about AI, while women expressed more concern and worry. Researcher Laura Manley noted that overconfidence in AI discourse tends to drown out voices of uncertainty.
On the practical side, doctors remain cautious about AI in medicine despite its use in summarizing patient data, diagnosing diseases, and predicting outcomes. Experts at AHCJ's fall summit stressed that human experts must always have the final say on AI suggestions. Concerns were raised about AI harming workers, especially nurses, through increased monitoring and automated handoffs. Ford's experience with automation also highlights the need for human oversight; the company rehired 350 veteran engineers to oversee quality control after automation failed, and its quality ranking improved as a result.
Key Takeaways
- DHS ordered all civilian federal agencies to remove DeepSeek products and ban future purchases under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018
- The DHS order, signed July 24, cites risks of sensitive data exposure to Chinese authorities and applies to agencies like Treasury, State, and Justice but excludes the Department of Defense
- China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called the ban an overstretching of national security and a politicization of trade issues
- Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warns AI could eliminate many white-collar jobs while Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes AI will create more jobs than it removes
- A Harvard survey found 53 percent of men falsely claimed to know two nonexistent AI executives, compared to 40 percent of women
- Top consciousness scientists published a Nature article stating current AI systems are not sentient and that being smart does not mean having inner feelings
- Doctors at AHCJ's fall summit stressed human experts must always have the final say on AI suggestions in healthcare
- Ford rehired 350 veteran engineers to oversee quality control after automation failed, improving the company's quality ranking
- Anil Seth, Ned Block, and Giulio Tononi warn that wrongly believing AI is conscious is a bigger risk than missing real consciousness
- US and Chinese leaders are set to meet in November where AI is expected to be discussed
US orders all civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek from government systems
The Department of Homeland Security ordered all US civilian federal agencies to remove DeepSeek products from their IT systems. The directive also bars agencies from buying any DeepSeek-linked products in the future. It was issued under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018 and first signed in July. DHS said DeepSeek poses multiple threat vectors and could transfer sensitive data to China. This is the first time the law has been used against an AI company.
DHS orders civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek AI products
The Department of Homeland Security ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek AI products and services from their systems. The order was signed by DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin on July 24 under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018. It covers DeepSeek and any third-party offerings built using its technology. DHS cited concerns about data being stored and sent to servers in China. The Department of Defense and intelligence community are not covered by this order.
China slams US ban on DeepSeek AI over security concerns
China criticized the US government after it ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products and services. The US notice alleged that DeepSeek's models present multiple threat vectors and that its servers are located in China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China will resolutely safeguard the rights of Chinese companies. China opposes the overstretching of national security concepts. DeepSeek did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
DeepSeek fires back at US federal agency ban as national security overreach
DeepResponded to the US ban by calling it an overstretching of national security concepts. The DHS order, dating back to late July, says agencies should remove DeepSeek and products built using its technology. DHS cited concerns about servers in China and potential access by Chinese authorities. Mao Ning, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, opposed the politicization of technology issues. US and Chinese leaders are set to meet in November where AI is expected to be discussed.
US bans China's DeepSeek AI in federal agencies citing security risks
The US ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products and ban related technology. The Department of Homeland Security issued the order in July, citing risks of sensitive data exposure to Chinese authorities. The ban applies to agencies like the Treasury, State, and Justice departments but excludes the Department of Defense. Private individuals and businesses can still use DeepSeek. China strongly opposed the move, with Mao Ning calling it a politicization of trade issues. Chinese models are gaining popularity because they are often cheaper and open-source.
Top Consciousness Scientists Say Current AI Is Not Sentient
Anil Seth, Ned Block, and Giulio Tononi published a Nature article arguing that today's AI systems are not conscious. They say being smart does not mean having inner feelings. The authors warn that wrongly believing AI is conscious is a bigger risk than missing real consciousness. They point to biases like anthropomorphism as reasons people overthink AI sentience.
GLP-1 Apps Use Fake Crying AI Women in TikTok Ads
TikTok accounts are using AI-generated women crying to promote wellness apps like Enzo, DreamMe, and Zenit. The posts show fake text messages from loved ones and are not labeled as ads or AI-generated content. Developer Pedro Pérez said the visuals were AI-generated and should have been labeled. Some accounts were deactivated after being contacted.
Neuro-Symbolic AI Models Dutch Insolvency Law
Researchers built a neuro-symbolic model to apply Article 42 of the Dutch Bankruptcy Act, called the actio pauliana. The system uses a symbolic core written in Catala and neural routines to handle open-ended legal terms. It was tested on 100 annotated judgments and ten hand-annotated cases. The model performed well overall but struggled with the knowledge requirement.
North Korean Delegation Tours Chinese AI Video Company
A North Korean film delegation led by Kim Un Chol toured SHARE Technology in Hunan, China. The company is known for producing AI short-form videos and agents. The delegation showed a clear intention to cooperate on using AI in the film industry. The two sides held in-depth discussions about AI-driven innovation.
Generative AI Turns Text Prompts Into Music
Generative AI tools are helping creators turn written text and lyrics into music. This allows people without studio skills to explore songs in different styles. AI music can help with demos, video soundtracks, and social media content. However, users still face limits around editing, originality, and copyright when using protected material.
Doctors remain cautious about AI in medicine
Experts at AHCJ's fall summit say AI is being used in health care for tasks like summarizing patient data, diagnosing diseases, and predicting outcomes. AI can also help communities prepare for climate disasters by organizing hazard data and planning responses. However, concerns remain about AI harming workers, especially nurses, through increased monitoring and automated handoffs. Speakers stressed that human experts must always have the final say on AI suggestions. Laws are emerging to address liability, alert fatigue, and surveillance issues.
Economists answer whether AI will eliminate jobs
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warns that AI could eliminate many white-collar jobs in the coming years. In contrast, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes AI will reshape roles and create more jobs than before. Two economists, Daron Acemoglu from MIT and Erik Brynjolfsson from Stanford, discussed these competing views in a live NPR virtual event. The Ask an Economist session took place on October 28th and was open to NPR+ supporters. Attendees could ask questions during the live Q&A.
AI still needs human expertise, says CTO
A chief technology officer argues that AI cannot replace human judgment, even though it excels at complex tasks. AI is described as jagged, being superhuman at some things but weak at others, like basic common sense tasks. New types of work are emerging where people test AI outputs and set limits to prevent mistakes. Ford rehired 350 veteran engineers to oversee quality control after automation failed, and the company's quality ranking improved. The article warns that eliminating entry-level routine jobs prevents junior employees from building judgment over time.
Men fake knowledge about fake AI executives
A Harvard survey of over 5,400 people found that many men falsely claimed to know AI executives who did not actually exist. When asked about fake figures Susan Milner and Craig Dalton, 53 percent of men said they knew them. Only 40 percent of women said the same about the nonexistent figures. Men were also more optimistic about AI, while women were more concerned and worried. Harvard researcher Laura Manley said the confidence in AI discourse drowns out voices of uncertainty.
Sources
- US Government Orders DeepSeek Removed From All Federal Civilian IT Systems
- DHS Orders Civilian Agencies to Remove DeepSeek AI Products
- China slams US ban on DeepSeek AI over security concerns
- DeepSeek fires back at U.S.federal agency ban as ‘overstretching of the concept of national security’
- US bans use of China's DeepSeek AI in federal agencies, cites security concerns
- AI Is Not Conscious, Argue Anil Seth, Ned Block And Giulio Tononi In New Nature Article
- GLP-1 Apps are Using Sobbing AI-Generated Women To Market Their Products
- Machina Pauliana: A neuro-symbolic approach to the actio pauliana in Dutch insolvency law
- North Korean film delegation tours Chinese company known for AI videos, agents
- From Text to Music: How Generative AI Changes Content Creation
- Clinicians still cautious about AI in many areas of medicine
- Will AI take my job? Ask an economist! (NPR+)
- I’m a chief technology officer. AI still needs your human expertise
- The Average Man Is Such a BSer About AI That He'll Claim to Know About an AI Executive Who Doesn't Even Exist
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