Toyota and SoftBank Block DeepSeek as Japanese Companies Ban the AI Model
Japanese Companies Join Global Ban on DeepSeek AI
Toyota, SoftBank, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Restrict Use Over Security Concerns
Fears of Data Leaks and Chinese Law Drive Blanket Prohibitions
Ban Spreads Across Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the US, and Italy
As concerns over security prompt a growing number of countries to ban the use of AI models developed by Chinese startup DeepSeek, similar measures are now emerging among Japanese companies, including Toyota and SoftBank.
According to Japan's Kyodo News on February 12, Toyota Motor, the world's largest automaker, has banned the use of DeepSeek, citing concerns from an information security perspective. SoftBank has also restricted access to DeepSeek within the company and is preventing employees from downloading the DeepSeek application onto their work devices. In addition, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries reportedly does not grant permission for employees to use DeepSeek, even when requested.
An executive at a major materials company that has prohibited DeepSeek told Kyodo News, "Unlike the generative AI from the U.S.-based Microsoft that we use for work, we determined there are risks involved." A representative from a large housing company explained their ban on DeepSeek by stating, "We considered the risk of information leaks and the possibility that our data could be used for AI training."
Kyodo News also reported that many Japanese companies only allow access to specific AI services from U.S. providers, while imposing blanket bans on the use of other AI tools. Previously, the Japanese government warned that data used with DeepSeek could be stored on servers in China and that the AI model is subject to Chinese law, urging caution in its use.
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The ban on DeepSeek is spreading not only in Japan, but also in South Korea, Taiwan, the United States, Italy, and other Western countries.
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